Zaman newspaper: Austria rejects Turkey's accession to a European military cooperation project

Vienna-Sana

Austria rejected the Turkish regime's request to join a European military cooperation project, with the continuation of the repression campaigns launched by the regime's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, targeting his opponents.

The Turkish Zaman newspaper reported that Vienna announced its official opposition to Turkey's request to participate in an EU initiative entitled "Structured Permanent Cooperation", noting the deterioration of freedoms and the repressive practices of the Turkish regime.

Erdogan's regime continues its crackdown campaigns against its opponents in various Turkish cities and regions. Over the past years, thousands of civilians and soldiers have been arrested, in addition to dismissal or suspension of work against about 150,000 workers in the government, the army, the judiciary, education and other institutions.

Last year, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg criticized the policies of the Turkish regime, calling on European Union countries to rethink relations with Ankara, stressing that Turkey "is not a reliable partner for Europe."