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Shortly before the EU decision on sanctions against Turkey, there is another dispute over the attempted search for a Turkish freighter for weapons destined for Libya. The Ankara protests prevented Bundeswehr soldiers from the European mission Irini from inspecting the ship.
It is unknown if there were actually weapons on board. But the incident was the third time Turkey had opposed European inspections at sea. This strengthens the field of EU states that are calling for a hard line against Ankara at the December 10-11 summit.
In recent days, Turkish President Recep Erdogan had made commitments to Europe on several occasions. The future of his country is in Europe, he said. The EU must not be fooled by this.
Erdogan resigns from the reformer because he wants to avoid sanctions. He wants to avoid the collapse of the economy and ensure his power. The Turkish economic crisis gives the EU a lever with which it can put pressure on Erdogan effectively; Europe should also seize this opportunity.
Europe should decide on sanctions against Turkey
Erdogan’s conciliatory messages to Europe are tactics and not the expression of fundamental change. The Turkish government sees Europe as a paper tiger incapable of taking decisive joint steps.
The EU should prove to Turkey that this impression is wrong. Therefore, it would be better if the EU approved the planned sanctions against Turkey in December and depended its implementation on the concrete measures taken by Turkey.
In this way, Europe could regain influence over Ankara. But if Turkey can fool the EU with a few token gestures, it is only a matter of time before the next crisis breaks out, and Europe is left without influence. Turkey needs the EU, its biggest trading partner, more than ever.
