ECR Group
#EUTurkey: It is not Europe that is dependent on Turkey, but Turkey which is dependent on Europe, says MEP
"Today, many people think that Turkey holds the European countries dependent on gas from the Southern Gas Corridor and on refugees and migrants. But I would say rather that today Turkey depends on us," Nikolay Barekov MEP (ECR) pointed out during the debate on the Report on Turkey, which was discussed in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
"Turkey is dependent on our money, on our markets and on our good will. Turkey has no other friends. The US, Russia, Iran, Syria, Israel are enemies of Turkey and Erdogan," Barekov stressed.
He quoted Hristo Botev’s words about Turkey (Hristo Botev is a Bulgarian poet and national revolutionary, who is widely considered by Bulgarians to be a symbolic historical figure and national hero) and recalled that the genius Bulgarian poet and journalist had died shot by the Ottoman turcs in the struggle for freedom.
"150 years ago the genius Bulgarian and European poet Hristo Botev, from whom my roots, as well as my sons’ roots, come from, called the Ottoman Turkey at that time 'the sick man of Europe'. For seven centuries Turkey was 'the sick man of Europe', but wants to be part of Europe," Barekov commented.
"It is the right time for the EU to choose the kind of Turkey it wants for some future negotiations" concluded Barekov MEP. His speech was followed by applause in the Chamber.
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