GETTY ROW: Christian Kern is furious with Turkey's apparent ultimatum

FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

A bitter war of words has erupted over the terms of a controversial deal EU bosses struck with Turkey earlier this year in a bid to bring the migrant criss under control. Under a "one in one out" agreement, for every deported asylum seeker sent back to Turkey, the EU takes in a Syrian refugee in return. But the Turks were also promised a £2.5billion aid payment and, if the certain requirements are met, visa-free travel in Europe for Turkish citizens for six months. And Ankara is now starting to put pressure on Brussels with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warning the deal might be in jeopardy unless visa-free travel is introduced by October

He said: “If there is no visa liberalisation, we will be forced to distance ourselves from the migrant readmission agreement." Mr Cavusoglu's comments came after Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan appeared to suggest Austria was trying to stifle free speech by banning protests by Austrian Turks. Austria, already unhappy at Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan's claim that it was trying to stifle free speech by banning protests by Austrian Turks, reacted with fury. Chancellor Christian Kern said the EU must not be bullied by Turkey and also lashed out at Mr Erdogan.

GETTY FURY: Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern

Europe must not become dependent on Turkey in terms of the refugee crisis. The EU needs to be capable of protecting its external borders itself Sebastian Kurz

Mr Kern said: "I reject the the Turkish president's claim that Austrians with Turkish roots have had their right to free speech cut. I see this statement as an attempt to fuel emotions and to spread cheap propaganda." He then made a pointed reference to Mr Erdogan's crackdown against opponents involved in last month's failed military coup. He said: "The fact that the right to free speech, to assemble and to demonstrate apply in Austria is the exact thing that makes it different from the situation in Turkey. "Democratic basic rights are very important to me as a social democrat and I will also defend them for those whose political view differs from mine."

GETTY CLAIM: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said the the EU “should not give in a millimetre” to Turkey’s demands and warned against becoming too reliant on Ankara to stem the migrant crisis. He said: "There are clear requirements for a visa exemption, that all have to be fulfilled without exception, especially the anti-terror laws. "Europe must not become dependent on Turkey in terms of the refugee crisis. The EU needs to be capable of protecting its external borders itself."

Migrant Crisis: Mass exodus from the migrant camp continues Tue, October 25, 2016 Hundreds of migrants are continuing to arrive in Europe as they flee the scenes of chaos and brutality of the Islamic State in the Middle East. Play slideshow 1 of 224

Ankara's apparent ultimatum has also sparked anger in Germany where the leader of the liberal Free Democratic Party, Christian Lindner, has demanded the Turkish ambassador to Berlin be summoned to explain his government's comments. Mr Lindner said: "Liberalisation of trade and visa issues have to be bound to constitutional progresses of Turkey when in fact , Turkey is moving in the opposite direction. "The government finally needs to find clarity and make their stance clear toward the Turkish ambassador in Germany.

GETTY CRISIS: Syrian refugees in Turkey