17/04/18

[Maik]

Turkey taking 'huge strides' away from European Union, top EU official says

Turkey is moving rapidly away from the path of European Union membership, the top EU official in charge of negotiations said on Tuesday, as Brussels' delivered its harshest criticism yet of Ankara's shift towards authoritarianism.

While couched in diplomatic language, the European Commission's annual report on Turkey's progress towards membership blamed Ankara for a broad, collective and disproportionate crackdown following a failed 2016 coup attempt.

It warned that years of progress towards European Union standards in human rights, freedom of expression and the rule of law were being lost and that Turkey had seen a weakening of local democracy as presidential powers increased.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/227749/article/ekathimerini/news/turkey-taking-huge-strides-away-from-european-union-top-eu-official-says

[Jolly Roger]

Turkey taking 'huge strides' away from European Union, top EU official says

Turkey is moving rapidly away from the path of European Union membership, the top EU official in charge of negotiations said on Tuesday, as Brussels' delivered its harshest criticism yet of Ankara's shift towards authoritarianism.

While couched in diplomatic language, the European Commission's annual report on Turkey's progress towards membership blamed Ankara for a broad, collective and disproportionate crackdown following a failed 2016 coup attempt.

It warned that years of progress towards European Union standards in human rights, freedom of expression and the rule of law were being lost and that Turkey had seen a weakening of local democracy as presidential powers increased.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/227749/article/ekathimerini/news/turkey-taking-huge-strides-away-from-european-union-top-eu-official-says

Meanwhile, the islet involved in this week’s dispute — called Anthropofagos (Greek for “cannibal”) — is part of what Turkey claims are “grey zones,” areas that are of disputed jurisdiction, in the Aegean Sea. Greece, on the other hand, recognizes no such “grey zones,” in accordance with the Treaty of Lausanne and international law. Turkey’s position was reiterated by Erdogan during his visit to Athens last year. He claimed that the Treaty of Lausanne needs to be reconsidered, evoking the Turkish-speaking minority of Thrace, a region of northern Greece, as justification. As if to underscore Erdogan’s intentions, Turkish warships recently stopped an Italian research boat from reaching its destination in Greek Cypriot waters.

Even amid this dangerous climate, both sides are indulging in reckless rhetoric. In Turkey, Erdogan and his party are embarking on ever more aggressive rhetoric toward Greece, and the largest opposition party is now headed by Kemal Kilicdaroglu, a man who claims Turkey needs to reclaim 18 Turkish islands currently occupied by Greece.

http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/04/18/greece-and-turkey-are-inching-toward-war/

[Maik]

Daily articles in the media about Greek-Turkish relations. The old rivalry was given a fresh stir back in 2016 when supporters of a failed coup in Turkey fled to Greece. Turkey demanded they be returned to face (ahem) justice, the case is on going - much to Erdogan's ire. His response is to harass Greece at every opportunity. In case anyone missed it Greek fighter pilot dies after jet crashes in Aegean Sea amid rising tensions with Turkey and the headline to the article Roger's quoted is Greece and Turkey Are Inching Toward War.

Rather depressing stuff, hopefully it's just hot air on Turkey's part. Erdogan's called an election and, hopefully, this is part of his election campaign, portraying himself as the strong leader. Unfortunately, his opponent is trying to go one better, declaring he will seize control of eighteen Greek islands if elected.

IMO, Erdogan's a dangerous, power-crazed nutter. From the Guardian: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: a dictator in all but name seeks complete control