Erdogan's Warning: I Will Open Turkey's Borders for Refugees Heading to Europe

Following the European Parliament's vote to temporarily suspend Turkey's EU membership negotiations, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened the EU on Friday that he would open Turkey's borders to refugees intending to go to Europe. According to Reuters, the widespread crackdown following the failed coup in July has darkened Turkey's relations with the EU. A few months prior to these events, Turkey and the EU had reached an agreement to expedite Turkey's membership negotiations in exchange for controlling the wave of migrants heading to Europe and facilitating visa-free travel for Turkish citizens to Europe. In this report, the Turkish president referred to an incident at a Bulgarian border post last year, stating: 'When 50,000 refugees came to Kapikule, you raised your voices, and you thought about what would happen if the borders opened.' Erdogan, speaking at a meeting about women, rejected the European Parliament's Thursday resolution regarding the suspension of Turkey's EU membership negotiations, stating: 'If you take further action, these borders will be opened. These empty threats have no effect on me or the people of my country.' He emphasized: 'Do not forget, the West needs Turkey.' The Thursday resolution of the European Parliament is not binding but, according to reports, will put pressure on the European Commission, which is the negotiating body with Ankara. Despite this resolution, countries like France and Germany support continuing negotiations, believing that halting these talks could jeopardize the EU-Turkey agreement on controlling migration. According to Reuters, some of these countries are currently witnessing a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment that could gain popular support in upcoming elections. Elections are set to be held next year in countries like France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Since the failed coup in July, the Turkish government has purged and dismissed over 110,000 civil servants, including military personnel, judges, prosecutors, journalists, academics, local officials, and Kurdish politicians, on charges of supporting the coup. About 36,000 people have also been detained, and several media outlets have been shut down.