Ad
Erdogan (l) with EU commission head Barroso: the unusually forceful language is a measure of Turkish frustration with the EU accession process (Photo: European Commission)

New Year message: 'Geriatric' EU needs 'vigorous' Turkey

Turkish leader Recep Tayip Erodgan has lambasted the EU as a spent force on the international stage in an angry statement aimed at unlocking accession talks.

Writing in an op-ed in the US magazine Newsweek on Monday (17 January) the Muslim leader said: "European labour markets and social-security systems are comatose. European economies are stagnant. European societies are near geriatric. Can Europe retain power and credibility in the new world order without addressing these issues?"

Get EU news that matters

Back our independent journalism by becoming a supporting member

Already a member? Login here

Author Bio

Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's Foreign Affairs Editor. He has been writing about foreign and security affairs for EUobserver since 2005. He is Polish but grew up in the UK. He has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Times of London.

Erdogan (l) with EU commission head Barroso: the unusually forceful language is a measure of Turkish frustration with the EU accession process (Photo: European Commission)

Tags

Author Bio

Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's Foreign Affairs Editor. He has been writing about foreign and security affairs for EUobserver since 2005. He is Polish but grew up in the UK. He has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Times of London.

Ad
Ad