Juncker: Turkey moving away from Europe ‘in giant strides’

Turkey wants to blame the EU for accession talks failure, Commission president says.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday accused Turkey of wanting to blame Europe, not itself, for a breakdown in EU membership talks.

Speaking at a conference of EU ambassadors in Brussels, Juncker said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “wants to put an end to the negotiations so that he can put responsibility on the European Union and not Turkey.”

Despite being “good friends” with Erdoğan, Juncker said: “Turkey is moving away in giant strides from Europe.”

Juncker words echoed those of Commissioner for Enargement Johannes Hahn, who said that Turkey will continue moving “farther and farther away from Europe” if it does not change course.

A nosedive in relations have stalled Turkey’s bid to join the EU, an ambition that Hahn called “unrealistic” as long as Erdoğan is president.