Taking into account the fact that the criminal case was authorized by Chancellor Angela Merkel, this situation proves that Erdogan has great influence on political decisions in Europe and particularly in Germany, former French diplomat and politician Roland Hureaux told Atlantico.
"Boehmermann acted deliberately provocative. Earlier, he criticized crackdown on civil liberties in Turkey and Ankara’s support for Daesh. These facts are real and it is all about political criticism. If Europe has no right to slam a dictatorship regime emerging near its borders, where do we go now?" Hureaux said.
He also assumed that if the German comedian had mocked. For example, Russian President Vladimir Putin or any other leader, no criminal case would have been opened.
"The leaders of France and Brussels should pay attention to Merkel’s weakness before Erdogan who supports Daesh terrorists. Instead, they voiced their support to the German chancellor," he added.
According to French journalist Henri de Bresson, Brussels has no other way but to make concessions to Erdogan, taking into account the ongoing migrant crisis.
"Erdogan is playing the card of the refugee crisis. European leaders need assistance in stemming the migrant influx from the Middle East," the journalist said.
"Germany is now paying the price for previous mistakes made by the West toward Turkey. The West should have re-adjusted its relations with Turkey, on the basis of protection of democratic principles. Instead, now Turkey has turned into a zone of instability at the European borders," he elaborated.
"Erdogan has received many pledges and guarantees from the EU while Turkey cannot guarantee anything in response," Hureaux said.
The policies which Ankara has adopted under Erdogan’s rule are dangerous for Europe, he added.
"Erdogan is an advocate of radical Islamism, with the ultimate goal of Islamization of the entire continent. But there is not only the threat of Islamization. This is about Europe surviving as the land of freedom and law. The case of Jan Boehmermann proves that our inherent rights are already being restricted," Hureaux suggested.
According to him, the only solution to the current stalemate is to cut the Gordian knot.
"If Europe really wants to stop kneeling down before Turkey there is only one way to solve the problem. If Turkey cannot help with the migrant crisis European leaders should strip Ankara of all benefits on its accession to the EU. There is no need for talks," he concluded.
