French MEP Nicolas Bay urges EU to stop 'showering' Turkey, Pakistan with subsidies

French Member of European Parliament (MEP) Nicolas Bay has asked the European Union to stop ‘showering’ Ankara and Islamabad with subsidies and put up sanctions against them as he called Turkey and Pakistan 'countries of concern' amid rising terror attacks in Europe. Speaking to the European Commissioner Ylva Johansson, who is responsible for Home Affairs, Bay expressed his disapproval of the support that the European Commission gives to the countries of concern. Earlier last month, France suffered two deadly Islamic extremist attacks. Three people were killed in a church in the southern city of Nice, and a teacher was beheaded outside Paris for showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to his class over a debate on free expression.

Read: Muslim Immigrants On Nice Attack As City Mourns

French MEP blames Turkey and Pakistan 

As per a press statement, “During the European Parliamentary plenary of November, 11 French MEP Nicolas Bay from the Identity and Democracy Group had strong words against European aid to Pakistan and Turkey in light of threats coming from both countries. MEP Bay's comments were made in the context of a debate on the 'fight against terrorism, freedom of expression and education”. Europe has been a target of various terror attacks in Vienna, Madrid, London, Paris, Nice, Milan, Berlin, Amsterdam, Toulouse, Stockholm and St Petersburg. Bay pointed out that since the Madrid attacks, lots of people have been killed by Islamist terroorist and Europe is losing its identity. He said, “They attack us for who we are, not what we do. We cannot fight this battle if we refuse to name the enemy”. 

Read: Attacks Spur EU To Weigh Tough Border, Anti-extremism Steps

Stating that Turkey and Pakistan are countries of concerns, Bay said, “Erdogan is also moving forward because the European Union does not dare to act, he is waging war on Armenia, and in Libya by deploying jihadists from the ranks of Da'esh, he is threatening our continent with migratory subversion, he is converting the Basilica of Saint Sophie into a mosque". Bay further critiqued the Commission for its financing of Islamist organisations stating that EUR5.6 million had been given towards Muslim Brotherhood networks. "In total, over the last 5 years, the European Union has paid 36.5 million euros directly to Islamist organisations or projects in which they were involved”. 

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(Image Credits: ANI)