The European Union official overseeing the bloc's expansion efforts says Turkish membership will become "more and more unrealistic" unless Ankara changes course soon.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn told today's edition of Germany's Bild daily that "with regard to the strict accession criteria, Turkey has been moving further and further away from the EU for some time."
He added that "if it doesn't change course quickly, membership will indeed become more and more unrealistic."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded later today that his government would be "having a talk" with Europe after the April referendum on presidential powers. "It cannot continue like this, Turkey will do whatever is necessary," he said without elaborating.
Turkey has been in EU membership talks since 2005.
There's increasing concern among European nations about what they view as an accelerating slide toward authoritarian practices under Erdogan.
In recent weeks, diplomatic tensions have been fed by a spat over Dutch and German restrictions on Turkish officials campaigning in a constitutional referendum.
Erdogan, speaking at a forestry event in Ankara, said he would retaliate in kind.
"From now on, no European will be allowed to spy under various pretenses here, be they an individual or an institution," he said.
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