European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn said any involvement on the part of Turkey in domestic elections in an EU member-state was unacceptable. Mr. Hahn warned Turkey that its actions put the country’s prospects of joining the EU at risk in an interview to newspaper “Suddeutsche Zeitung”. “I the time has come to discuss the strategic consequences of this behaviour. Simply avoiding the issue does not present a strategic policy in the long run”, he said. The Commissioner strongly criticised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for mingling in the German electoral process, as well as his demands for the extradition of political opponents in reference to a German author of Turkish origin named Dogan Akhanli, who was arrested in Spain based on an international arrest warrant issued by Ankara. Spanish justice, however, ruled he be released with restrictions.
“Turkey is obviously not prepared to revise its course, which brings it ever farther from Europe”, said the Commission