Juncker says Turkey not ready for EU membership

President of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker believes that Turkey is not ready or able to join the European Union because the Eurasian country does not meet the conditions of access.

Juncker said in an interview published on Friday in newspaper Tiroler Tageszeitung that the entry of Turkey into the European Union “will not happen soon.”

The Turkish ambassador to the Union, Selim Yenel, said on Friday in an interview with the German newspaper Welt that his country intends to join EU in six years at the most to coincide with the centennial of the modern Turkish Republic, founded in 1923.

Juncker recalled in the interview that the European Council decided in 1999 to grant Turkey the status of candidate for EU membership, which now cannot be changed unilaterally.

He pointed out that if Turkey reintroduces the death penalty it should be penalized with the immediate suspension of negotiations.

Juncker reiterated his view that a suspension of negotiations with Turkey would be a serious diplomatic mistake, adding that the European Union is not just negotiating with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government, but looking for a solution that is useful for the Turkish people.

Moreover, Juncker expressed optimism that the agreement on the transfer of refugees from Greece to Turkey will continue.