Turkey lashed out at the “absolutely unacceptable” vote by the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee calling for the end of talks about Ankara’s Brussels membership. EU MEPs called on the European Commission to formally suspend EU accession negotiations with Turkey, citing disregard for human rights and civil liberties, influence on the judiciary, and disputes over territory with Cyprus and other neighbours.
But Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy hit back in a fiery statement, saying: ”It is absolutely unacceptable that the non-binding, advisory draft report is calling for a total suspension of our accession talks to the EU.
“We expect the necessary corrections to be made and the final report to be more realistic, impartial and encouraging.
“Only such a report will be taken into consideration by our country.”
Turkey says EU membership remains one of its top strategic goals even though the accession talks, formally launched in 2004, have been stalled for years.
Some EU leaders and officials have called for them to be ended.
Kati Piri, EU Rapporteur on Turkey, tweeted: “My expectation is that in two weeks a large majority of the EP will vote for the suspension of accession talks w/ Turkey, as EP Foreign Affairs (committee) did today.”
Ankara has accused Brussels of blocking progress with talks repeatedly stalling since accession negotiations started in 2005.
In October, President Tayyip Erdogan said he would consider putting Turkey’s long-stalled bid to join the EU to a referendum, signalling exasperation with a process he says has been waylaid by prejudice against Muslims.
European officials have long said Turkey falls short of EU demands on basic rights and freedoms.
European Parliament member Marietje Schaake said Turkey’s accession was “impossible” at this stage.
She said: ”Human rights violations and arrests of journalists occur on an almost daily basis while democracy and the rule of law in the country are undermined further
“This, in combination with the constitutional changes has made
“Turkey’s accession to the European Union impossible at this stage.
The message of the Parliament today is crystal clear. We attach consequences to Erdogan’s authoritarian grip on power.”
In 2016, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Turkey could not join the bloc in its then-state in the wake of the failed military coup.
Tensions soared as Turkey and the EU made a deal during the migrant crisis, with the bloc offering Ankara £2.5billion and visa-free access to the bloc in exchange for taking in refugees.
But as President Erdogan continues to clash with the bloc, talks have stalled with Ankara facing economic challenges.