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,” he added.
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 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 that some Turkish personnel at the military alliance have even applied for asylum.
Via Fox News