Erdogan calls on EU to make clarity on membership of Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on European Union that it has to make it clear whether it will accept Turkey or not.

Turkish President Erdogan said during a joint press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, “It needs to be clear whether or not the EU will accept Turkey. Turkey has been stalled since 1963. No EU member state has been treated in such a way”.

Erdogan’s remarks came days after he suggested holding a referendum for its EU membership bid. He said in Istanbul on October 4, “If the European Union continues wasting Turkey’s time in its accession to the union, then the country could hold a referendum over its membership bid. It is better to see this process faster so that Turkey can determine its way”.

#Erdogan: #EU not sincere about Turkish EU accessionhttps://t.co/NxF9JARGft pic.twitter.com/qNIXZ89tV0

— Press TV (@PressTV) October 9, 2018

Relations between European Union and Turkey have been strained after coup attempt against President Erdogan in July 2016, for which Turkey blamed to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

In June, Minister of European affairs said in a meeting in Luxembourg that Turkey is moving further away from the European Union. In response to that Turkish foreign minister cited European minister’s conclusion as “hypocritical and incoherent”.

Turkey has criticized European Union for not supporting properly in issues related to counter terrorism, refugee crisis and illegal migrants.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan won Presidential election with landslide victory months ago and became the first President under new system. Before the elections, Turkey changed the ruling system with vast powers to president, that was highly criticized by European Union and west, citing it against the democracy and that detector ship will come in Turkey.