Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday warned Brussels that Turkey would bring the curtain down on its over half-century bid to join the European Union if new accession chapters were not opened.
Erdogan’s threat to say “goodbye” to the European Union came minutes after he rejoined Turkey’s ruling party in the first major change to come into effect.
Relations between Ankara and Brussels have tumbled to unprecedented lows following a failed coup bid on July 15.
The EU is troubled by the state of human rights in Turkey, while Turkey is slamming what it sees as a lack of solidarity from the bloc.
Erdogan last month won a referendum on sweeping consitutional changes to create a presidential system. But the victory was contested by the opposition and gained only the most tepid of welcomes in Brussels.
“There is no option other than opening chapters that you have not opened until now,” Erdogan said, referring to the individual policy areas that need to be concluded before Turkey joins the EU.
“If you open, then great. If you don’t open, then goodbye,” Erdogan said. “Turkey is not their (the EU’s) doorman,” he added.
