Merkel warns Erdogan his authoritarian drift endangers visa deal. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: No Turkey visa waiver, no refugee deal

German chancellor Angela Merkel met with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 23 May 2016 and expressed her 'deep concern' over the state of democracy in Turkey. Ms Merkel showed her doubts over whether a plan to liberalise the European Union's visa policy towards Turkey would be implemented on time.

Mr Erdogan later warned that Turkish parliament would be unable to pass legislation to stem the flow of refugees to Europe if the country was not granted its demand of visa-free travel.

This meeting followed a series of events which put into doubt Mr Erdogan's commitment with democracy and freedom of expression, in the context of a constitutional reform under way in Turkey. These events took place as the country negotiated with the EU a visa liberalisation agreement, which was tied in with the country's EU membership aspirations and the migration agreement designed to contain the inflow of refugees and migrants into Europe.

• Primary Source

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ESO: Background information: Court grants Erdogan injunction against comedian Jan Böhmermann http://www.europeansources.info/record/court-grants-erdogan-injunction-against-comedian-jan-bohmermann/

ESO: Background information: Greek ‘Plan B’ reported, if EU-Turkey deal collapses http://www.europeansources.info/record/greek-plan-b-reported-if-eu-turkey-deal-collapses-erdogan-says-he-wants-visa-waiver-by-october-turkey-eu-trade-barbs-over-visa-free-travel-conditions/

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The Guardian, 24.05.16: Turkey threatens to block EU migration deal without visa-free travel http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/24/turkey--eu-migration-deal-visa-free-travel-recep-tayyip-erdogan

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Spiegel Online International, 26.05.16: 'Disaster in the Making': The Many Failures of the EU-Turkey Refugee Deal http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/the-refugee-deal-between-the-eu-and-turkey-is-failing-a-1094339.html

Hürriyet Daily News, 24.05.16: Erdoğan says Turkish Parliament will block EU migrant deal if no visa-free travel http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-says-turkish-parliament-will-block-eu-migrant-deal-if-no-visa-free-travel-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=99629&NewsCatID=510

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