Erdoğan spoke after he rejoined AKP yesterday and, calling the EU out, said: “The European Union has no option but to open new chapters for the negotiations. And if you don’t, then bye bye.” Erdoğan’s comments received a response from the EU.

“If Turkey was truly interested in membership, Ankara should have shown this,” said European Parliament Turkey Rapporteur Kati Piri and added that opening a new chapter is “absolutely out of the question”.

Turkey Rapporteur Piri spoke to German Die Welt newspaper and said Turkey’s comments were “blackmail”. Stressing that the European Union will never bow down to blackmail by any country in regards to membership and that goes for Turkey too, Piri said: “Those who want to join the EU have to fulfill the criteria. But I don’t see this at all with Turkey. For this reason, negotiations should stop.”