Turkey has refused an EU request to narrow its definition of terrorist crimes as one of 72 requirements for visa liberalization. Turkey says reforms will take place in the future if there is progress in negotiating an end to the 28-year conflict with Kurdish militants.

Turkish officials said a recent spate of bomb attacks made changes to the anti-terrorist law impossible at this time and there would be public outcry if those changes took place. Ankara said talks on the matter with Brussels have reached an impasse and the two must find new ways to salvage the deal on refugees.

"We lost more than 450 security officers and we are operating in cities captured. We are trying to bring back the normal human life there and people are returning there. So under these circumstances, making a change in the anti-terror law politically is not possible," 

"That is why I asked the Council of Europe's secretary general to intervene, to help the Commission to understand that actually it is not a bad law. But the only way out is to discuss, explain and find a way out," said Turkish EU Affairs Minister Volkan Bozkir.