About the signs at the EU-Turkey meeting

A protocol gaffe marked the meeting of the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council with the President of Turkey in Ankara. Desislava Apostolova, BNT’s correspondent in Brussels, talks about the attempt to warm relations between Brussels and Ankara. She quoted sources in Brussels as saying that EC President Ursula von der Leyen „was not happy about the situation when the men (Charles Michel and Recep Tayyip Erdogan) sat on chairs, and she had to sit on the couch. The incident was even called “sofa-gate”. This is a signal from Ankara at a time when important talks are also expected on women’s rights and freedom of speech, the rule of law. Warming the relations between Europe and Turkey was discussed at the end of 2020. Europe will try to resume these relations after years of very bad relations during Erdogan’s term in office and follow the policy of „carrot and stick“ – to try to restore ties with Turkey, but in no case to compromise, said Desislava Apostolova.