05.05.2026 03:52
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan evaluated Turkey's EU journey, ongoing since 1959. Stating that Europe has failed to overcome its "deep-rooted prejudices" against Turkey and remains in blindness, Erdoğan said, "Today, Europe's need for Turkey is greater than Turkey's need for Europe. Europe is at a crossroads. They will either see Turkey's global weight as an opportunity for the union, or they will allow exclusionary rhetoric to darken Europe's future."
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the nation after the Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex.
Erdoğan stated that they completed a cabinet meeting where they discussed many topics from economy to tourism, from foreign policy to agriculture, and made striking evaluations regarding Turkey-European Union (EU) relations.
"TURKEY HAS BEEN PUSHED OUT OF THE NEGOTIATION TABLE DUE TO POLITICAL MOTIVES" The relevant part of President Erdoğan's statements is as follows: “Recently, we are witnessing destructive debates triggered by European actors about Turkey's position in Europe. I see it beneficial to remind some basic facts about our country's EU journey. Turkey applied for partnership with the EU, then called the European Economic Community, on July 31, 1959.
In 1963, the Ankara Agreement, which forms the legal basis of relations between Turkey and the EU, was signed. The partnership agreement consisted of three distinct periods: preparatory, transitional, and final, following each other. With the Ankara Agreement entering into force in 1964, the preparatory period began. On November 13, 1970, we signed the Additional Protocol and took the first step into the transitional period. In the following process, disagreements arising from our Cyprus cause led to obstacles in our EU journey.
At that time, our neighbor Greece applied in 1975 and was accepted in 1981. Turkey was pushed out of the negotiation table due to political motives. With the September 12 coup, our relations with the EU were officially suspended. With the re-establishment of civilian government and the initiative of the late Turgut Özal, our relations gained momentum again. In 1987, we applied for full membership to the union and, as the late Özal said, embarked on 'a long and narrow road.' The commission evaluating our application responded 2.5 years later, stating that it would not accept new members without ensuring the internal integration of the community.
With the Customs Union, which came into effect in 1996 between Turkey and the EU, we moved into the final period. The troubles we faced began to resurface shortly after. At the Luxembourg summit, while candidate status was given to 12 countries, Turkey was once again ignored. At the Helsinki summit, Turkey's candidacy was approved, and it was decided to prepare a partnership document. After taking over the task of governing the country, we gave new momentum to all these activities. Eight harmonization packages passed through parliament. We amended 218 articles of 53 laws. Two constitutional packages were accepted in our parliament. In 2004, the EU, which carried out the largest expansion move in its history, accepted 10 countries without Turkey as members of the union.
"THE UNION, WHICH WAS INSUFFICIENT AND UNWILLING TO SUPPORT TURKEY, COULD NOT MAINTAIN THE PACE IT HAD CAUGHT" Among these, unfortunately, was the Southern Cyprus administration. As Turkey, we endured these unfair decisions and continued on our path. We fulfilled our responsibilities during the negotiation process and beyond. We announced the 9th Reform Package. Thirteen chapters were opened for negotiation. Later, only 1 chapter could be opened. The positive agenda in 2012 lasted only 2 years. From 2015 onwards, our relations intensified due to the irregular migration wave caused by the civil war in Syria, the largest since World War II for Europe. The union, which was insufficient and unwilling to support Turkey regarding the July 15 coup attempt, could not maintain the pace it had caught.
"WE COULD NOT OVERCOME THE DEEPLY ROOTED PREJUDICES AGAINST TURKEY" Despite all the double standards we were subjected to, we stubbornly continued our work toward full membership. Today, we continue intensively with EU institutions and countries. Since our first application date in 1959, we could not overcome the deeply rooted prejudices against Turkey, especially in certain segments within Europe. Sometimes using our democracy, sometimes our economy, sometimes our population, sometimes our faith as an excuse, they marginalized us. Each time, they always found an excuse to slow down Turkey's full membership process.
Turkey changed, transformed, and strengthened its economy and democracy. But there was no change in the distorted approach of these circles toward our country. We had to struggle with this mindset and its representatives. As the late Özal said, we walked on a path not only long and narrow but also full of artificial obstacles and bumps. This journey continues on the same ground. Strategic strabismus persists in many institutions of the union. At this point, I have to state a fact clearly. As yesterday, today the issue is not where Ankara stands, but where Brussels wants to be in the future world. It should be understood that the EU, where Turkey is not present as a full member, will not be a global actor and attraction center. We are not a country that will be remembered, whose door will be knocked on when needed.
"THE EU MUST KNOW THE VALUE OF TURKEY'S CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDE VERY WELL AND NOT MISUSE IT" The EU must know the value of Turkey's constructive attitude very well and not misuse it. Let it not be forgotten that neither Turkey is the old Turkey nor is the world stuck in the influence zone of Western states as before. A new world is being established where new actors emerge, and the global system evolves into multipolarity. Turkey ranks among the strongest countries destined to be one of the poles of the new system. Today, Europe's need for Turkey is greater than Turkey's need for Europe. Europe is at a crossroads. Either they will see Turkey's global weight as an opportunity for the union, or they will allow exclusionary discourses to darken Europe's future. Our hope is that they focus on developing sincere, genuine, eye-level relations with Turkey. The winner of such a relationship will be the European continent. We will continue to walk with our foreheads high and heads held high, guided by the high interests of our nation.”