"The draft law is being debated in the European Parliament right now. But I predict that we won`t have regulation on visa-free travel before the end of the year," Reuters cited Oettinger as saying.
"The death penalty is irreconcilable with our order of values and our treaties. No country can become a member state of the EU if it introduces the death penalty," Oettinger said.
Oettinger criticized Ankara`s recent decision to lift lawmakers` immunity from prosecution, a constitutional change likely to remove a pro-Kurdish opposition party from parliament.
"And it cannot be that judges the government does not like are being removed by the thousands. The independence of the judiciary is a tremendous asset," Oettinger said.
The broad post-coup crackdown and calls to reinstate the death penalty for plotters drew concern from Western allies who said Ankara must uphold the rule of law in the country.
European Commissioner doesn`t see EU granting Turkey visa-free travel this year
19 July 2016
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European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, Guenther Oettinger, said he did not see the European Union granting Turks visa-free travel this year.
