The European Union should decide between Turkey or its
enemies, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday,
adding that Brussels should not expect Ankara to change its
anti-terror laws.
Yildirim made the comment in a speech to members of his ruling
AK Party in parliament that was broadcast live on television. The
comments coincided with an official visit on Tuesday by German
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Relations between Turkey, a candidate for EU membership, and
Brussels have been strained following an attempted coup in July.
European leaders are worried that Ankara is using the failed putsch
as a pretext to clamp down on dissent. Turkey, meanwhile, has been
angered by what it sees as a lack of solidarity following the
coup.