Thread: Turkish head threatens to open migrant wave to Europ

Turkish head threatens to open migrant wave to Europe

Associated Press5:06 p.m. EST November 25, 2016

Brussels – — Turkey threatened Friday to open the migrant floodgates if the European Union halts its membership talks, as criticism grows of Ankara’s heavy-handed response to a failed military coup.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s warning — the latest in a series of heated speeches about Europe from top Turkish officials — came a day after EU lawmakers called for a freeze on the talks over the post-coup arrests, dismissals and jailing of tens of thousands of people.

Erdogan’s claims that his country has been “betrayed” are a sign of how Turkey’s pride has been wounded by the lack of international solidarity Ankara feels has been shown since its political foundations were rocked by the July coup attempt.

“We are the ones who feed 3-3.5 million refugees in this country. You have betrayed your promises,” Erdogan said. “If you go any further, those border gates will be opened.”

The European Parliament vote Thursday was a response to Ankara’s widespread crackdown on potential political enemies.

Tens of thousands have been detained, and around 120,000 people have been dismissed or suspended from their jobs over suspected links to the Muslim cleric living in the United States whom Erdogan blames for the coup attempt.

Authorities have also shut down more than 170 media outlets, detained more than 140 journalists and sacked elected Kurdish mayors, replacing them with government-appointed trustees.

NATO has acknowledged some Turkish personnel at the military alliance have even applied for asylum.

More worrying for the anti-death penalty EU would be if Turkey makes good on a threat to reintroduce capital punishment, which would derail the country’s bid to join the bloc entirely.

But apart from symbolizing Europe’s concern, Thursday’s vote has no practical effect on Turkey’s EU accession. Any suspension in talks can only be made by the 28 EU states, not lawmakers.

Beyond that, member states have little incentive to pour oil on the fire when they desperately need Ankara to manage their refugee crisis. The membership negotiations, which have crawled along at snail’s pace for more than a decade, are unlikely to be completed any time soon.

Unable to agree on the best way to manage more than a million migrants who entered Europe last year, mostly through Turkey, EU nations decided to outsource their refugee crisis.

They offered Turkey visa-free travel for its citizens and fast-track membership talks if Ankara stemmed the flow of migrants leaving for Greece and took back thousands who had already crossed into Europe.

The deal also calls for the EU to devote up to $6.4 billion in aid for Syrian refugees living in Turkey.

During Friday’s speech, Erdogan said not enough money was coming through.

Turkish head threatens to open migrant wave to Europe - Detroit News

Put barges in the water...apprehend them...tow them back, unload them and SINK their boats.