Member state of the European Union

Turkey's agreement with the European Union to curb human trafficking across the Aegean appears to be in jeopardy again after a top Turkish official warned that a current impasse with the EU gives Ankara no reason to honor the deal. 

A collapse of the deal would put more pressure on Greek islands where thousands of migrants are cooped up in overcrowded reception centers. 

When Turkey is discussed in the European Union, and vice versa, all talk is about conflict, divergence and mutual recrimination nowadays. Political tones on both sides are acrimonious, high-level contact is circumscribed, and public opposition to Turkey's EU membership stands at a staggering 77 percent in the Union.

Turkey will not accept a "privileged partnership" with the EU, the country's EU Minister Omer Celik has said, cited by Anadolu Agency .

"If we are offered a privileged partnership, we will not even consider it, and simply reject," Celik told news channel Haberturk on Friday.

It concerns The Hague-based Court of Arbitration's decision in the maritime border dispute between Slovenia and Croatia in the Piran Bay.

Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest member state, on January 1 took over the bloc's six-month revolving presidency with the ongoing migrant crisis and Brexit among the top items on its agenda.

Bulgaria has taken over from Estonia the rotating six-month presidency of the European Union.

The European perspective of the Western Balkans is one of the priorities of the presidency of this country, which became an EU member ten years ago, Beta reported on Monday.

Denis Zvizdic, chairman of the Bosnia's Council of Ministers, has said that Bosnia has prepared 95 per cent of the answers for the EU questionnaire - but the remaining 5 per cent will be an obstacle to meeting the deadline of December 31.

Turkish EU Minister Omer Celik said on Monday that Turkey's relation with EU was not "a relation of neediness but a win-win relation", Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking to lawmakers during a 2018 budget debate, Celik said that there was a consensus in parliament for Turkey's EU membership. "This is pleasing for the country's interests," he said.

BRUSSELS - The Council of the EU has sent a positive message about the Union's enlargement policy, Serbian FM Ivica Dacic said after a meeting of ministers of EU member states and candidate countries in Brussels Tuesday.

At an intergovernmental conference in Brussels on Monday, Serbia will open talks on Chapters 6 and 30 of the EU acquis - the body of legal rights and obligations that all EU member states must observe.

The two chapters that will be negotiated between Brussels and Belgrade concern company law and external economic relations.