ANKARA (Sputnik) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has once again accused on Thursday the European Union of delaying Ankara’s accession to the bloc.
“They [the European Union] continue to delay the issue [Turkey’s accession to the bloc]. Countries, which cannot even be compared to us, have become EU member states … If [the European Union] continues to follow this pattern, we will have to ask our 81 million [people] and see what they will say,” Erdogan said.
The Turkish president called on the European Union to clarify its position on Ankara’s accession to the bloc.
“If you want to admit us, do it. If you do not, say that and follow your path while we will follow our own,” Erdogan added.
Erdogan has many times expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of progress in the negotiations.
Turkey signed an association agreement with then-European Community in 1963, submitting a membership application in 1987. In 1997, Turkey was declared eligible to join the European Union while the accession talks started in 2005.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
