Posted on April 11, 2017

‘Europe Is Collapsing’ Erdogan Condemns Continent

Thomas Hunt, Express, April 11, 2017

Erdogan

Erdogan (Credit Image: © Depo Photos via ZUMA Wire)

As diplomatic tensions between Turkey and the bloc continue to escalate, Erdogan declared that his countries success is making eurocrats go “crazy”.

Erdogan said: “They said a century ago that we were the ‘sick man’. Now they are the ‘sick men.’ Europe is collapsing.”

Speaking at a pre-referendum rally in Turkey he stated that Europe’s economy was getting worse, its population was getting older, and the “racism disease has resurged like a virus.”

He said: “Europe will pay for what they have done. God willing, the question of the European Union will again be on the table after April 16.”

Campaigns ahead of Turkey’s April 16 referendum have caused controversy across Europe, with authorities in The Netherlands, Austria and Germany reportedly voicing displeasure at the nation-wide vote being debated within their borders.

Erdogan added: “You have seen what happened in Europe. Why did they go crazy? Why did they go berserk? They saw what this system will bring to Turkey. Turkey is leaping, growing. This makes them go crazy.”

Turkey, a NATO member state that began talks to join the EU in 2005, has become a crucial partner for the bloc by taking in millions of refugees fleeing from the six-year-old war in Syria.

Erdogan claimed Turkish expats had “faced injustices and pressure in Europe” and following the referendum things would change.

Last month Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, claimed the EU was falling apart as he alleged “the future of Europe will not be pleasant at all”.

Diplomatic tensions between the Islamic Republic and The Netherlands almost hit crisis point in the lead up to the Dutch general elections in March.

Mr Cavusoglu was denied entry into The Netherlands while another Turkish minster was reportedly expelled from the country.