EU
#Turkey’s Europe Minister Ömer Çelik lets rip on Twitter
Over the weekend, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel let it be known that he didn’t see Turkey joining the EU as a full member of the EU for quite some time, but could see Turkey becoming a member of an ‘outer ring’ at some time in the distant future.
Gabriel, who is the SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) leader, is Chancellor Merkel’s deputy and coalition partner in Germany's governing coalition. The vice chancellor’s remarks unleashed a twitter storm from Turkey’s Minister for European Affairs, Ömer Çelik. The comments come before European Parliament President Martin Schulz visits Ankara this week; Schulz is a member of the SPD, which could make the discussions awkward.
1)German ViceChancellor @sigmargabriel:Even if you're optimistic for my politicalcareer, I certainly won't seeTurkey become member of thisEU
— Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) August 29, 2016
2) ViceChancellor @sigmargabriel added that EU wouldn't be in a position to takeTurkey in even if it met all the entry requirements tomorrow
— Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) August 29, 2016
3) Statements not based on objective criteria can't reflect EU's position on Turkey. These are europhobic opinions @sigmargabriel @MiRo_SPD
— Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) August 29, 2016
4) Such opinions make the EU susceptible to serious risks for its future. @sigmargabriel @MiRo_SPD
— Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) August 29, 2016
5)Nothing to worry about Turkey in the wake ofsuch statements. Yet, would be right to be concerned for EU's future @sigmargabriel @MiRo_SPD
— Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) August 29, 2016
6) Not good for a politician to place his political career in the center of everything and to comment around it. @sigmargabriel @MiRo_SPD
— Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) August 29, 2016
7) EU should first judge itself honestly & objectively while discrimination, xenophobia & islamophobia are rampant @sigmargabriel @MiRo_SPD
— Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) August 29, 2016
8)If EU keeps failing in democracy&pluralism tests, it'd definitely not be the EU that we'd want to be a part of @sigmargabriel @MiRo_SPD
— Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) August 29, 2016
That a senior government minister can 'lose it' on Twitter illustrates how strained relations are between the EU, particularly Germany, and Turkey.
The draconian action taken by the Turkish authorities both before and after the attempted coup show a complete disregard for democracy and pluralism. Members of the Parliament have had their immunity removed, over 104 journalists have been detained, over 2700 judges were summarily suspended the morning after the coup, universities have been purged of the mildest dissenting voice. The list goes on and on.
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