Turkish Protests Provide Electroshock to EU Ties
The Gezi Park protest brought Turkey-EU ties to the brink of collapse, but at the same time had the impact of “electroshock therapy” on Turkey’s stalled accession process.
“Turkey does not need the EU, but the EU needs Turkey. If need be, we know very well how to tell those countries, ‘Buzz off, mate!’ The EU needs Turkey more than Turkey needs the EU.” Those sharp words belong to Turkey’s EU Minister Egemen Bagis. And they were not uttered in a casual chat. The statement was relayed to journalists by Bagis’ press office on June 19 under the title “If need be, we’ll tell EU countries ‘Buzz off, mate!’”
In a second statement that arrived shortly thereafter in my email box, Bagis reminded German Chancellor Angela Merkel of former French president Nicholas Sarkozy’s electoral debacle after she signaled she would block the opening of a new chapter in Turkey’s membership talks.
"Merkel's attitude is obviously a means of domestic politics ahead of the German elections in September," he said. "Merkel seems to have forgotten the fate of Sarkozy, who was known for his objections to Turkey. I invite Merkel to think again, unless she wishes to go fishing with Sarkozy.”
Those statements further angered the Germans, who were already terrified by the sight of Green Party leader Claudia Roth being gassed in a police attack on Gezi Park. Bagis, in a belligerent mood toward the EU ever since the accession process became deadlocked, may well deserve the title of “EU Quarrel Minister” rather than EU minister.
