Not all wishes come true. Sometimes, you have to wait 10 years at least. The seemingly never-ending story of Turkey trying to enter into the European Union was the main topic of the speech of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The official announced publicly that he does not see it as a member for the next 10 years or more. In his interview with German paper Handelsblatt, he said: “Turkey is currently not ready for accession. I think that won’t be the case in 10 years either.” However, the EC President stressed that it is not the reason to end the cooperation regarding the migrant crisis and that EU authorities count on Turkey’s help. The partnership does not guarantee the country’s membership in the EU.
Ankara, in its turn, hopes that the refugee deal will significantly speed up negotiations over joining the EU. At least, the first little steps have been made. For instance, European authorities are discussing the possibility of visa-free travel for Turkish nationals into the Schengen zone in return for Turkey’s promise to host asylum-seekers who reach Greek islands. Besides, Ankara managed to negotiate and receive a considerable financial aid. And 10 years is not a big deal speaking in terms of a state.
