Turkey no longer needs to join the European Union but will not unilaterally abandon the stalled EU accession talks, President Tayyip Erdogan told parliament on Sunday. To tell the truth, we don’t need EU membership any more,” Erdogan said. Turkey’s 12-year-long accession talks have ground to a halt, with the EU especially critical of Ankara’s crackdown following a failed coup last year. “The EU failed us in a fight against terrorism,” Erdogan said on Sunday, though he also suggested the bloc still needed Turkey. And it is to grant Turkey membership and start an action of cultural and economic growth,” Erdogan said.

Source: Egypt Independent October 01, 2017 12:56 UTC