Turkey-rapporteur: ' Turkey still further away from European standards and values '

"It looks bad for Turkey," said Piri. "The country drifts further and further from the European standards and values." She calls the unrest in Turkey ' very worrying '. "We have enough problems with Russia as the European Union. Turkey was still a country with free elections and only freedom of the press. It is a matter of concern to the country in a direction to see a la Putin move. "

Ally "it is also in our interest that we have a democratic ally to Turkey, as the land between the European Union and trouble spots in the Middle East is", says Piri. "We depend on Turkey in the fight against terror group, to solve the war in Syria, with the refugee crisis and for the supply of energy."

And then there are eighty million inhabitants. That they live in a safe and stable country, is even more important than the theoretical question of whether Turkey can join the EU in the long term, Piri.

Divided country

PIRI saw years of reforms by Prime Minister Erdogan from three years ago be cancelled by president Erdogan. "For whatever reason he has a reverse movement. Maybe it delivered him to his idea not sufficiently, "said Piri. The result is a ' complete ' divided country with a population half complete idolatrous is about the leadership of Erdogan and the other half that him as the ' greatest threat of the country '.

Those tensions are also felt in Netherlands, says Piri. "You hope right on connection. And that Turkey respects the opposition in the country and opponents of Erdogan not to be thrown in prison. The country must allow criticism, because half of the population has not voted on Erdogan. "

Strategic importance Today speak the European foreign ministers in a private meeting on the situation in Turkey. Tomorrow the MEPs in conversation. According to Piri will the ministers in ' strong words ' the Turkey Government calls to be reluctant with actions against alleged putschists.

"Though it is still questionable whether Turkey under the impression is. Partly because of all the turmoil the country is very self-centered. We have to thank, in part, to ourselves. In negotiations with Turkey on accession to the EU, the country distrusted us because many Turks had no confidence that the country would allow. The European Union negotiated just out of strategic importance with Turkey, so is the view. "

Brussels has influence on Turkey, says Piri. The European Union is not only dependent on Turkey, Turkey is also dependent on the European Union. "Nowhere to go Turkey exports more than the EU. We have therefore influence, in the past we made too little use of. "

By editorial RTL News: Photo:  RTL/ANP