The op-ed, titled 'How to stop Erdogan?', was originally published by French-language journal Le Grand Continent back in October last year
A French magazine retweeted a scandalous op-ed targeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the wake of the most recent visit by EU Commission heads to Ankara on Wednesday.
The op-ed, titled “How to stop Erdogan?”, was originally published by French-language journal Le Grand Continent back in October last year.
The piece highlights all the political events that transpired between Turkey and the EU during the 18-year tenure of President Erdoğan.
“The pattern is clear: Turkey is becoming a powerful player, a regional superpower,” the author, Luuk van Middelaar, warns.
He goes on to outline the recent developments in Azerbaijan, the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus and Greece, as well as the migrant crisis as examples of an “escalation of violence.”
The op-ed then urged EU leaders to take action, pointing that “it is a question of power and counterpower, and to act accordingly.”
President of the European Commission Von der Leyen along with European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday paid an official visit to Ankara as part of diplomatic efforts to improve relations between the bloc and Turkey.
Ankara has repeatedly voiced criticism over the EU’s failure to deliver on its promises.
The EU concluded final contracts for the €6 billion ($7.2 billion) refugee support package in December 2020.
But the amount the EU actually spent for the needs of the Syrian refugees remains below €4.5 billion as of March 2021, according to EU figures.
Turkey has been a key transit point for migrants and refugees aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution in neighboring countries.
