European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker warns Sunday that any return of the death penalty in Turkey would be a “red line” in the country’s stalled EU membership bid.
“If the death penalty is reintroduced in Turkey, that would lead to the end of negotiations,” he tells Sunday’s edition of Germany’s Bild newspaper, calling it a “red line.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday he expected parliament to approve the restoration of capital punishment after next month’s referendum on controversial constitutional changes to expand his powers.
Juncker nevertheless says he is opposed to a complete halt to all membership negotiations with Turkey.
“It makes no sense to try to calm (Erdogan’s) nerves by stopping negotiations that are not even taking place.”
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel goes even further, saying in an interview with Der Spiegel: “We are farther away than ever from Turkey’s accession to the EU.”
— AFP
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