Turkish EU minister warns Europe about far right

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun

ANKARA

Turkish EU Minister Omer Celik on Thursday warned European governments about promoting far-right movements.

Answering questions of Anadolu Agency's Editors' Desk, Celik said several European governments had not allowed the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, but had permitted the People's Democratic Party (HDP) to hold rallies ahead of the June 24 presidential and parliamentary elections.

"It's an outcome of poisonous policies of Europe," Celik said. "European governments will face their own Daesh if they continue to poison their people and promote far-right movements. Europe's Daesh is far-right extremism."

Celik also said the European Union had not complied with terms of a March 2016 refugee deal.

"The EU has no moral or political high ground to give lessons to others over being loyal to agreements," he said.

In March 2016, Turkey and the EU signed a refugee deal which aimed at discouraging irregular migration through the Aegean Sea by taking stricter measures against human traffickers and improving the conditions of the nearly three million Syrian refugees in Turkey.

Under the readmission agreement, Turkey is supposed to readmit all irregular asylum seekers who reach Greek islands from the country.

But visa liberalization in Schengen zone countries -- one of the key EU promises made under the deal -- was meant to enhance EU-Turkey cooperation in addressing the refugee crisis and accelerate Turkey’s EU membership talks.

Turkey has so far met most of the requirements for visa liberalization, but the EU’s demands for change in Ankara’s anti-terrorism laws has led to a deadlock in negotiations.

The Turkish authorities previously said the refugee deal could collapse if the EU failed to provide Ankara with the promised visa liberalization by the end of this year.

Turkey now hosts some 3 million Syrian refugees, more than any other country in the world. Ankara says it has spent around $25 billion helping and sheltering refugees since the beginning of the Syrian civil war.