The outcome from the European Union (EU) summit, where Turkey’s accession process was also discussed, was once again to continue the relationship with the Erdoğan regime in the name of “supporting the opposition”, as apparently AKP’s “fighting terror” and “allowing the refugee migration” blackmail has worked.

It had become apparent by the end of the summit that the talks about imposing sanctions against Turkey, mentioned several times by various countries including Germany and Austria, would not be implemented.

WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH TURKEY

Germany had voiced the “strictest” claims against the Erdoğan regime before the September 24 elections, now they were content with only the sanction to reduce monetary aid, which had already been decided beforehand. This view championed by Chancellor Angela Merkel argued in favor of reducing the monetary aid rather than ending negotiations.

Merkel spoke after the summit and said they demanded the EU Commission to restrict the monetary aid provided to Turkey during the accession process and argued that they “have to talk with Turkey, not about Turkey”.

MACRON ALSO FAVORS A CONTINUED RELATIONSHIP DESPITE “WORRYING SITUATION”

In a statement yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron also argued in line with Angela Merkel’s line. Macron had said they accepted all these despite the “worrying situation in Turkey”.

Macron said: “We have come to an agreement to not cut off the relationship with Turkey, but to stay in dialogue in a strict and certain manner. So, we need to determine the content of the relationship between Turkey and the EU in accordance with the developments in Turkey. There is a worrying situation in Turkey. The commission will investigate how the relationship can be better, but at the same time, this relationship is important to resolve the fight against terror and refugee issues.”

WILL THE EU SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION BY APPEASING ERDOĞAN?

The arguments for this approach championed by EU member states including France and Germany are absurd. As the Erdoğan government boasts that they don’t need the EU but the EU needs them, these countries that prolong the relationship between the EU and Turkey on the basis of their interests claim that their stance is to support democratic opposition. According to this thesis, EU cutting off the relationship with Turkey will serve as propaganda material for the Erdoğan government and that will have the most weakening effect on the democratic opposition in Turkey.

THE TRUTH LIES WITH THE REFUGEE BLACKMAIL

But the EU member states can’t be said to be thinking much about the democratic opposition in Turkey, who have to face new applications of fascism every day and who have been completely abandoned. And reading between the lines shows that among the real reasons why the negotiations are not stopped are “continuation of the cooperation in fighting terrorism” and “the refugee issue”.

French President Macron’s comments of “The commission will investigate how the relationship can be better, but at the same time, this relationship is important to resolve the fight against terror and refugee issues,” show that they are still bowing down to Turkey’s blackmail.

It is understood that because the EU still hasn’t found a solution to the continued influx of refugees from Libya to Italy, they are wary of the effects a wave of migration over Turkey like in 2015 could have.