Turkey can 'forget' joining EU - Prodi

(ANSA) - Portonovo di Ancona, July 22 - Turkey can "forget" the idea of joining the European Union, ex premier and former European Commission president Romano Prodi said Friday.
    "Now it really is over," said Prodi in reference to Turkey's position following last week's attempted military coup and the ensuing political purges.
    "And it may have to forget NATO as well".
    With around 500,000 soldiers under arms Turkey "is the second country in the Atlantic Alliance after the United States", Prodi said.
    Therefore "either Turkey changes or NATO changes - although it would be good if they both changed," he continued.
    "It is not clear what NATO is up to: it never changes its objectives when instead the whole world has changed."