EU-Turkey Relations Deterioration More Harmful for Brussels -Turkish Deputy PM

The deterioration in relations between Ankara and Brussels will be more harmful to the EU than to Turkey.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — The change for the worse in relations between Ankara and Brussels will do more harm to the European Union than to Turkey, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Monday.

"One should understand that the deterioration of our relations with the European Union will cause more harm to the European Union itself. For European politics it is vital that at the EU summit the bloc's leaders decide to support Turkey," Kurtulmus said at a press conference in Ankara.

The Turkish deputy prime minister slammed the European Parliament resolution calling for the suspension of EU accession talks, adding that it was under influence of ultra-right forces, opposing Turkey.

"This resolution is an alarm signal to the European politics," Kurtulmus added.

On November 24, the European Parliament approved an initiative to suspend EU membership talks with Turkey. The initiative was supported by 471 parliamentarians, with 37 votes against and 107 abstentions. However, the vote was non-binding and mostly symbolic, which meant it would not be supported by the European Commission.

The Turkish authorities criticized the document, calling it illegal and even threatening to open borders for migrants willing to go to the European Union.