Greece’s Foreign Minister Georgios Katrougalos wants Brussels to keep the door open for Turkey to join the bloc.
In an interview with POLITICO, he said that he still believes Turkey’s future is in the European Union despite the country’s descent into authoritarianism and its controversial decision to drill for gas in Cypriot waters.
Some countries, such as Austria, say the EU must stop accession talks “immediately.” It’s a demand echoed by Manfred Weber, lead candidate for Commission president of the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) — which is projected to remain the European Parliament’s largest bloc in this month’s European election.
Weber has repeatedly said that as Commission president, he would drop the negotiations, telling a gathering of Bavarian conservatives in March: “If I become Commission president, then I will instruct the offices in Brussels to end the talks with Turkey on accession.”