Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused the European Union of "hypocrisy" for telling Ankara to adapt its counter-terror laws in return for visa-free travel to the Schengen area.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused the European Union of "hypocrisy" for telling Ankara to adapt its counter-terror laws in return for visa-free travel to the Schengen area.
"The EU stands up and says 'soften your approach over the terrorist organization'," Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara, referring to Turkey's battle against Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) rebels. 
"Since when are you running this country? Who has given you the authority?" he asked.
"It's impossible to comprehend how they can be democrats and how they can believe in democracy."
In one of his most stinging attacks in recent weeks on the European Union, Erdogan accused the bloc of "hypocrisy" and said: "They believe they have a right for themselves (to fight terror) but find it a luxury and unacceptable for us. Let me say it clearly -- this is called hypocrisy."
Meanwhile, he said that Turkey is preparing to "clean" the Syrian side of the border of Takfiri group ISIL after a Turkish border town came under repeated deadly rocket attacks.
"We are doing all the necessary preparations to clean the other side of the border because of the problems in Kilis," Erdogan said amid persistent speculation of a possible Turkish cross-border ground operation, without giving details on the preparations.
Around two dozen people have been killed in the Turkish border town of Kilis by rocket fire from ISIL militants since January, prompting the army to respond with artillery fire.
Turkey, a member of the US-led coalition battling ISIL, also allows US jets to use its air base in southern Turkey for air strikes on the extremists.
But Erdogan complained that Turkey was not receiving the support it desired from its allies in the fight against ISIL and indicated Ankara was prepared to take unilateral action.
"While our citizens fall martyr every day in the streets of Kilis by rockets launched from the other side, what can we expect from our allies?" he said.
"Let me say it here. We will not hesitate to take needed steps on our own if necessary," he said.
