Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the EU to
refrain from actions and rhetoric that could undermine Ankara’s
“constructive stance”, AzerNEWS reports.
Speaking at a briefing following a government meeting in Ankara,
Erdoğan highlighted the EU’s treatment of Türkiye compared to other
candidate countries.
He recalled that at a recent EU summit in Luxembourg, twelve
countries were granted candidate status, while Türkiye’s
application was overlooked. Despite this, Erdoğan noted, Ankara
continues to engage in intensive discussions with EU institutions
and member states.
“Since our first application in the mid-20th century, we have
been unable to overcome deeply rooted prejudices against Türkiye,
especially within certain segments of European society. Europe has
consistently used our democracy, economy, population, or faith as
pretexts to marginalize Türkiye. Each time, an excuse has been
found to slow Türkiye’s full membership process,” he said.
Erdoğan further emphasized that Türkiye has changed,
strengthening both its economy and democratic institutions, yet
distorted attitudes in European circles remain unchanged. He warned
that strategic shortsightedness persists across many EU
institutions, affecting the bloc’s ability to fully embrace Türkiye
as a partner.
“Türkiye is no longer the same country it once was, and the
world is no longer confined to the influence of Western states. A
new multipolar global system is emerging, and Turkey is among the
strongest nations poised to be one of its key poles,” he added.
He concluded that while Türkiye continues to evolve and
contribute as a stable regional power, Europe must reconsider its
approach to avoid undermining its own future by excluding
Ankara.