Turkey's release of the man who allegedly tried to assassinate the Danish anti-Islam author Lars Hedegaard is turning into a political crisis between the two nations.
The Danish government has decided to cite Turkey's involvement in the case when the EU later this month decides whether the country has been adhering to union membership standards.
“Our position is that Turkey will only become a member when it is ready: when they live up to the standards of a rule of law society,” Martin Lidegaard, the foreign minister, told DR Nyheder.
“The meeting will be about the judicial conditions in Turkey, and Denmark will mention this case as an example that the Turks are not ready for EU admission.”
READ MORE: Turks remain mum on Hedegaard case
A court decision?
Earlier this month, the Turkish authorities informed the Danish government that Lars Hedegaard's attempted assassin had been released from prison in September. However, the decision to release the man was made by a court, the Turkish government argues, and against its wishes.
When the news broke, it was speculated that the man was one of the close to 180 prisoners released and sent to Syria and Iraq in late September as part of an exchange with Islamic State, which released 46 Turkish and three Iraqi prisoners in return.
The EU membership admission committee will meet on October 31 to discuss the standards nations must live up to in order to become part of the EU.
