As expected and predicted in this corner, long ago actually, Turkey Blackmails Germany Over Visas.
Germany has said it will not be “blackmailed” by Turkey after Ankara threatened to renounce its March migrant treaty with the EU unless the bloc granted visa-free travel to Turkish citizens.
The row over the deal came as Berlin and Ankara clashed over a decision by the German authorities not to let Turkey’s president address a pro-democracy rally in Cologne at the weekend by video link. The Turkish foreign ministry on Monday summoned Germany’s charge d’affaires over the issue.
Turkish authorities have accused Germany of not condemning the coup attempt forcefully enough.
Of more immediate concern to Germany, however, is the future of the landmark deal struck in March between Turkey and the EU to curb the flow of migrants reaching Europe across the Aegean Sea.
Under the agreement, Turkey agreed to take back thousands of migrants crossing into Greece, in exchange for sweeteners such as €3bn in EU cash and the promise of short-term travel rights to Europe’s Schengen area for Turkish citizens. Brussels also agreed to reopen accession talks with Ankara over its membership of the EU.
The deal has been highly effective, leading to a sharp drop in the numbers of migrants arriving in Greece and easing the pressure on Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, for whom the influx of asylum-seekers into Germany last year turned into a big political headache.
in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper, the Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey might be forced to “renounce” the March agreement if Europe did not move forward with visa liberalisation. “It can be at the beginning of or the middle of October — but we expect a fixed date,” he said.
The argument over the refugee deal comes as Turkish politicians express fury at Germany’s decision not to allow the video link of Mr Erdogan.
Numan Kurtulmus, Turkey’s deputy prime minister, said the speed with which Germany’s highest court had prohibited the live video link was evidence of a “clear double standard”, and said the final verdict went against freedom of speech.
Turkey’s sports minister, Akif Cagatay Kilic, said he wanted to know the “real reason” behind German authorities wanting to prevent Mr Erdogan speaking to his supporters.
Turkey Demands to Know the Obvious
Turkey wants to know the real reason Germany would not let Erdogan address his supporters in Germany.
Let’s turn the tables. Will Turkey let Merkel, president Obama, or anyone else address the citizens of Turkey about Erdogan’s purge of the military, purge of teachers, or takeover of the Turkish press?
It would behoove Merkel to actually take a strong stand, but she cannot. Merkel is in a bed of her own making and hasn’t a clue how to get out of it.
Merkel In Bed With the Devil
I warned early on that Merkel was in bed with the devil, repeatedly.
- March 7: Devil Demands and Receives More Concessions from Merkel: In Bed with a Dictator
- March 9: EU leaders Recoil from Merkel’s Deal With the Devil
- April 20: EU’s Refugee Dilemma: “Growing Panic” on How to Change Terms of Deal with Devil
- May 7: Erdogan “Prince of Europe” Rejects EU Demands to Reform Terrorist Law
Merkel Still Doesn’t Know How to Get Out of Erdogan’s Bed
What’s Merkel to do?
That question is easy to answer. Do nothing and hope the problem goes away, the same way she has addressed nearly every problem for years.
However, that tactic won’t work this time.
Refugee Math Considerations for Merkel
- Turkey has 2.7 million Syrian refugees who want to make to Germany for free handouts.
- The EU is already choking on migrants and terrorist activity caused by migrants.
- There are another 79+ million Turkish citizens, many of whom just might be fed up enough with the dictatorship of Erdogan to flee, if they only had a Visa or EU membership.
- The median age in Turkey is 30.2 and the youth unemployment rate is 19.1%. A huge chunk of the millennials will want to leave for sure.
- Even if a mere 5% of Turkish citizens want to flee, that’s another 4 million or so refugees pouring into Europe.
Attempting to fix a refugee problem by allowing visa-free migration to millions of unemployed and potential Islamic radicals is pure insanity.
But that’s Merkel’s plan, and she does not know how to change it.
Heck, despite the insanity of it all, it appears she is still happy with the idea, ignoring the fact numerous EU countries will not go along with the deal.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
