5 reasons why a visa-free regime with Turkey is a bad idea

Today, the European Union proposed to introduce a visa-free regime with Turkey. Formally, the introduction of a visa-free regime has nothing to do with the exchange of migrants between the EU and Turkey but, of course, in reality it does. It is indeed the migrant factor which has played a major role in Europe’s granting of concessions to its once main opponent. Earlier, British media reported that today, May 4th, the EU would decide on the visa-free regime with Turkey only with some reservations primarily relating to Turkey’s political system. The most natural reaction of the European Union to this, however, is troubled, because if the EU refuses to grant concessions to Turkey, then Turkey can refuse the deal on migrants. In this case, the economically weak EU country of Greece would once again witness an invasion of refugees flocking across it to other EU countries. But Europeans need to save face. Thus, under the pretext of inconsistency, Turkey’s political system has been chosen over European standards.

The European bureaucrats probably realize that it is unlikely that this move will bring Turkey closer to European standards. After all, the whole history of post-Kemalist Turkey is that of a rotation between semi-right governments, Islamist attempts at seizing power, and military dictatorships. Now an authoritarian Islamist regime is in power. The EU is most likely introducing the visa-free regime even without Turkey’s democratization because it understands that this will never happen. But what will Europeans face following the introduction of this visa-free regime with Turkey?

1. Islamists will be welcomed. Indeed, the main problem with this deal is security. Turkey is engulfed by a civil war, has transferred ISIS, Al-Nusra, and other extremist militants through its territory to Syria, and the Turkish leadership is closely linked to Islamists. In Turkey, the number of those supporting radical Islam is in fact growing. Now, however, the EU is opening its borders to nearly 80 million Muslims, and the visa-free regime will make it much easier for terrorists to enter Europe.

Even if the Turks’ flirtation with Islamism finishes as a result of a regime-change or the re-orientation of Erdogan’s foreign policy, Islamists will still flock not to the Middle East, but to Europe, where they will be welcomed by liberal legislation and European liberals who consider them to be political refugees.

2.  The next problem has to do with the Kurds. Kurdish terrorism is the main threat to Turkey. And it is only natural that Kurdish radicals will now be squeezed into Europe. As a result, tensions between the large Kurdish and Turkish communities will increase. Over the past year, the Turks and Kurds repeatedly lapsed into collisions with each other even within the EU. Now such violence can intensify and even claim indigenous Europeans as victims.

3. The weakness of the EU’s liberal system will be totally exposed. For the first time, an authoritarian country has achieved significant concessions from European liberals, thereby encouraging anti-liberal trends within the EU. European right-wingers are generally opposed to rapprochement with Turkey, and the visa-free regime and problems associated with it will significantly strengthen their position. In turn, the chances of the shaky European bureaucratic structure in Brussels collapsing will increase.

4. The rapprochement with Turkey contradicts the very essence of European identity. For many centuries, Turkey has played the role of the “significant Other.” The effect of the visa-free regime on the common European psychological space will inevitably be a backlash on the part of nationalists and the de-politicized masses. Turkey’s trotting down the path to the EU is undermining any foundations of the possibility of a new European identity.

5. In the background, behind EU statements on the visa-free regime with Turkey, can be heard Turkey’s statements about a possible invasion of Syria. The EU has been led on by Turkey, one of the most irresponsible and radical participants in the Syrian conflict, and the new rapprochement with Turkey will be perceived by Ankara as something legitimizing and supporting its actions. Turkey will thus be enabled to act even more irresponsibly. Thus, by inaugurating the visa-free regime, the EU is adding fuel to the fire of the conflict in Syria.