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About 15% of Turkey's exports are to the EU, and over two-thirds of their tourists. Turkish industry heavily utilizes EU financial and consulting services. Tu

About 15% of Turkey's exports are to the EU, and over two-thirds of their tourists. Turkish industry heavily utilizes EU financial and consulting services. Turkey also benefits from various infrastructural and knowledge-sharing schemes supplied by the EU. So, quite a lot to lose.

StavrosK 6y ago
I meant regarding the possibility of joining the EU, that ship has sailed. I guess he feels that the EU needs Turkey more than the other way around?
- WordSkill 6y ago
  Well, whatever he thought, Covid-19 has blown everyone's plans wide open. Erdogan has to somehow keep his deeply indebted country rolling and his population of 82 million employed. It seems foolish to start picking fights with his biggest trading partner but, who knows, perhaps this is the sort of distraction that will keep his population focused on nationalism.
  - StavrosK 6y ago
    Hey, I completely agree with you, I'm just theorizing on what his thought process might be.
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
    - grugagag 6y ago
      He seems to be feeding his nationalistic sheeple by strenghtening the reliegious ethos with such moves as turning Hagia Sofia into a Mosque and taking over this neutral territory which was in limbo for a really long time. Erdogan has nothing else to show his supporters rather than Turkey is becoming strong again, some sort of Turkish version of MAGA. The Turks who don’t support Erdogan are powerless at the moment. Only economic disaster will weaken his grip on power there. Similar to Erdogan we have Viktor Orban in Hungary and many others in the making. Hopefully once Trump is out other totalitarian dictators will follow suit
      - sitkack 6y ago
        Everything you say is correct, but Erdogan predated MAGA. It is Trump that emulates the fascism and jingoistic populism of Erdogan. They are made from the same cloth.
- 082349872349872 6y ago
  Nato needs turkey.
  - NicoJuicy 6y ago
    Why? Turkey needs NATO more than the other way around
    - 082349872349872 6y ago
      (a) Bosporus (b) the nukes (İncirlik) As to who needs whom more, I have no opinion.

StavrosK 6y ago

I meant regarding the possibility of joining the EU, that ship has sailed. I guess he feels that the EU needs Turkey more than the other way around?

WordSkill 6y ago
Well, whatever he thought, Covid-19 has blown everyone's plans wide open. Erdogan has to somehow keep his deeply indebted country rolling and his population of 82 million employed. It seems foolish to start picking fights with his biggest trading partner but, who knows, perhaps this is the sort of distraction that will keep his population focused on nationalism.
- StavrosK 6y ago
  Hey, I completely agree with you, I'm just theorizing on what his thought process might be.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
  - grugagag 6y ago
    He seems to be feeding his nationalistic sheeple by strenghtening the reliegious ethos with such moves as turning Hagia Sofia into a Mosque and taking over this neutral territory which was in limbo for a really long time. Erdogan has nothing else to show his supporters rather than Turkey is becoming strong again, some sort of Turkish version of MAGA. The Turks who don’t support Erdogan are powerless at the moment. Only economic disaster will weaken his grip on power there. Similar to Erdogan we have Viktor Orban in Hungary and many others in the making. Hopefully once Trump is out other totalitarian dictators will follow suit
    - sitkack 6y ago
      Everything you say is correct, but Erdogan predated MAGA. It is Trump that emulates the fascism and jingoistic populism of Erdogan. They are made from the same cloth.
082349872349872 6y ago
Nato needs turkey.
- NicoJuicy 6y ago
  Why? Turkey needs NATO more than the other way around
  - 082349872349872 6y ago
    (a) Bosporus (b) the nukes (İncirlik) As to who needs whom more, I have no opinion.