Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan made EU membership talks a condition for backing Sweden's NATO drive. Photo: YVES HERMAN / POOL/AFPSource: AFPThe European Union's enlargement commissioner told Turkey on Wednesday to address issues around democracy and the rule of law if it wants to boost its drive to join the bloc. Ankara secured a pledge from Brussels to resurrect stalled membership negotiations in exchange for lifting its blockade of Sweden's drive to join the NATO military alliance. Turkey first applied to be a member of the European Economic Community -- a predecessor to the EU -- in 1987. It became an EU candidate country in 1999 and formally launched membership negotiations with the bloc in 2005.

Source: Daily Nation September 06, 2023 12:30 UTC