Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech during his meeting with mukhtars at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, December 14, 2016. Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Palace/Handout via REUTERS

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey will have back-up plans if its deal with the European Union over visa-free travel to the bloc falls through, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

Erdogan made the comment at a joint news conference with the president of Slovenia, without elaborating.

Under a deal reached with the European Union to stem the flow of migrants to the bloc, Turks are supposed to get visa-free travel into the EU.

However, that end of the bargain has been held up as Europe says Turkey’s anti-terrorism laws are too broad. Turkey says it must keep the laws as they are, citing its multiple security threats.