Turkey ensures EU’s security, says Turkish PM

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım evaluated ties between Turkey and the European Union on Tuesday.

“Yesterday, Turkey’s president, European Council president and EU Commission president held a summit in Bulgaria. All matters on the agenda were comprehensively discussed. All issues were discussed openly once again. If Turkey’s accession is to take place, it must be conducted in a way that ensures both sides win,” said Yıldırım.

“For full membership [of Turkey to the EU], 16 out of 35 chapters were dealt with and 14 chapters were blocked. Meanwhile, an influx of refugees began due to internal turmoil in Iraq and Syria, so an agreement was signed between the EU and Turkey. It was an agreement involving visa liberalization. Unfortunately, this agreement has not been fulfilled by the EU, even though we have fulfilled our role for the most part,” he added.

Turkey applied for EU membership in 1987 while accession talks began in 2005. However, negotiations stalled in 2007 due to the objections of the Greek Cypriot administration in the divided island of Cyprus, as well as opposition from Germany and France.

To gain membership, Turkey has to successfully conclude negotiations on 35 policy chapters that involve reforms and the adoption of European standards. As of May 2016, a total of 16 chapters had been opened and one concluded. However, in December 2016, the member states said no new chapters would be opened.

“The EU constantly criticizes our counterterrorism efforts which aim to protect our national security. It is worrying for us that Turkey’s fight against terror groups is shown as a block in our relations. Our priority is to ensure the safety and security of our people. Europe’s security is provided through Turkey, and Turkey’s security is provided through Syria and Iraq – yet we have not been able to explain this to our European friends,” Yıldırım said.

Yıldırım’s remarks came after Monday's Turkey-EU summit held under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, European Council President Donald Tusk and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Varna, Bulgaria.

In a joint news conference, Erdoğan said that it would be a "grave mistake" for Europe to push Turkey out of its expansion policy.

“It appears that the very countries who accuse Turkey of violating human rights have forgotten their own histories. There is nothing left to say to those who do not see how terror groups have rigged everything with bombs,” Yıldırım said.