Kahraman: Europe is 'building walls' while Turkey welcomes refugees

Europe is “building walls [to block] refugees and closing their doors” in response to the global refugee crisis, according to Ismail Kahraman, the speaker for the Turkish Parliament.

Kahraman told a European Conference of Presidents of Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday, that while Turkey had opened its doors to around 3 million Syrian refugees, “it is clear that this method does not correspond to Europe’s values. This attitude will remain like a black spot in Europe’s history,”

He argued cited examples where Norway, Hungary and Austria are all erecting barriers to prevent refugees from entering their countries. But Kahraman could have also cited a border fence between Sweden and Denmark and a new wall being funded by the UK in Calais, France.

The speaker went on to identify the relationship between intensified rhetoric and fears of migration and the rise of Islamophobia and racism, which he argued “do not have a place in the 21st century”.