UK officials raise concerns over Turkey's EU accession

LONDON

Two top British officials on Monday expressed concerns over the EU’s possible expansion, specifically citing the possibility of countries like Turkey joining.

Speaking to a professional engineers group in central London, Home Secretary Theresa May said that it was time to question “the principle of ever-wider expansion” of the EU.

“Do we really still think it is in our interests to support automatically and unconditionally the EU’s further expansion? The states now negotiating to join the EU include Albania, Serbia, and Turkey – countries with poor populations and serious problems with organized crime, corruption, and sometimes even terrorism,” May asked.

In addition, writing in the Times of London, Justice Secretary Michael Gove warned that the accession of countries like Turkey, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Albania poses “a direct and serious threat to the public services” in Britain.

"Because we cannot control our borders … public services such as the NHS will face an unquantifiable strain as millions more become EU citizens," he wrote.

"There is a direct and serious threat to our public services, standard of living and ability to maintain social solidarity if we accept continued EU membership."

Gove’s comments have already been rejected by the prime minister’s office. A spokeswoman said that Prime Minister David Cameron has already negotiated reforms concerning the issues.

May also argued that the U.K. should leave the European Court of Human Rights, a Council of Europe institution. “We can protect human rights ourselves in a way that doesn’t jeopardize national security or bind the hands of parliament,” she stated.

Eurosceptic politicians have been using the debate over EU expansion to buttress arguments for a Brexit ahead of the June 23 referendum. The British government officially supports Turkey's EU accession.