Turkey is losing hope it will reach an agreement for visa-free travel to Europe, the country’s minister for European Union affairs told the BBC on Wednesday.
The main obstacle is the EU’s insistence on Turkey narrowing its definition of terrorism, something the country won’t to do, Volkan Bozkir said.
He told the BBC that his hopes of getting visa free-travel to Europe for Turkish nationals were “getting less and less.”
The deal was offered in return for Turkey taking back refugees who crossed the Aegean Sea to Greece. It was expected to go into effect as early as the end of June.
Earlier this month, the European Commission recommended lifting visa requirements for Turkish citizens saying that Ankara has fulfilled the majority of 72 conditions. The European Parliament, however, is refusing to vote until all the criteria are met.
The EU and human rights groups say Turkey uses its broad anti-terror definition to stifle dissent in the country, which has become increasingly authoritarian. Turkey denies that, and claims the laws are needed to fight terrorist groups.