Turkey’s attempts to join the European Union reaches a dead end

Brussels (ST): The European Commission has confirmed that Turkey has failed to join the European Union and its attempts have reached a dead end.

In its annual report, which is considered the most critical of the Turkish regime since Ankara began talks to join the bloc 16 years ago, the Commission explained that the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “oversees a continuous narrowing of the space for democracy and the rule of law and ignores the recommendations of the European Union.”

The report indicated, according to Reuters, that “Ankara is not serious in carrying out the reforms supported by the European Union, despite Erdogan’s recommitment last April to the goal of obtaining full membership of the bloc at a time when the two sides tried to improve the strained relations.”

The Commission said, “It did not address the European Union’s serious concerns about the continued deterioration of democracy, the rule of law, basic rights and the independence of the judiciary,” stressing that “in the current circumstances, Turkey’s accession negotiations have reached a virtual dead end.”

K.Q.