Turkey's Erdogan takes tough EU line after Prime Minister quits

Turkey's president has told the EU it will not change its anti-terror laws in return for visa-free travel.

"We'll go our way, you go yours," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

The EU says Turkey needs to narrow its definition of terrorism to qualify for visa-free travel - which is part of a larger deal between the sides aimed at easing Europe's migration crisis, the BBC said.

Mr Erdogan was speaking a day after PM Ahmet Davutoglu, who largely negotiated the EU deal, said he was stepping down.

Mr Davutoglu had also reportedly opposed Mr Erdogan's plan to give more power to the presidency. Mr Erdogan said the proposed constitutional changes were a national need, not a personal requirement.

The wide-ranging EU-Turkey deal involves the return of migrants, mainly Syrians, from Greece to Turkey, along with increased aid and other measures.

One of these is to allow Turkish citizens visa-free travel for short stays in the EU's Schengen area which comprises 22 EU and four non-EU members.

However, the EU wants Turkey to narrow its broad definition of terrorism to match tighter EU standards. It is one of five EU criteria Turkey still has to agree to in order to meet the visa-free requirements.

Source: MENA