Erdogan to the European Union: You go your way and we will go ours

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, addressed the European Union, stating that Ankara will not change its anti-terrorism laws in exchange for lifting visa requirements for Turkish citizens traveling to Europe. In a speech broadcast on television on Friday, May 6, he said: "The European Union says you should change your anti-terrorism law for the visa. Sorry, but we will go our way, and you can go your way." The European Union has asked its members to agree to visa-free travel for Turkish citizens to European countries so that Turkey can also prevent the influx of refugees trying to reach Europe. However, the EU has emphasized that Turkey must first change some of its laws to align with EU standards, including its anti-terrorism law. Erdogan has a broader definition of terrorism compared to the EU. According to human rights groups, Turkey's anti-terrorism law has a wide scope that allows Ankara to silence its opponents and arrest critical journalists and academics. Ankara insists that such a law is necessary while the country is engaged in a war with Kurdish militants and the group known as the "Islamic State" is present in Syria and Iraq. Erdogan also called for a referendum as soon as possible to change the country's constitution and establish a presidential system in Turkey. He stated that the presidential system would make Turkey stronger and more stable than ever. These remarks come just a day after the announcement of Ahmet Davutoglu's resignation from the position of Prime Minister of Turkey and the leadership of the Justice and Development Party. Reports indicate that Davutoglu was not particularly inclined to change from a parliamentary system to a presidential one, and now with his resignation, it is expected that someone aligned with Erdogan will be chosen for this position.