ISTANBUL — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey had harsh words Friday for Europe, saying his nation won’t reform its antiterrorism legislation just for the sake of getting visa-free travel for its citizens there.

The tough talk comes at a time when moderate Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has stepped down, a move that Erdogan’s critics fear will help the president further consolidate his power.

As part of an agreement in which Turkey will help halt the flood of migrants from the Middle East, the European Union asked the nations in the bloc to allow Turkish citizens to travel to Europe without visas on short stays. In exchange, the EU wants Turkey to meet conditions, among them a revision of its harsh antiterrorism laws. But Erdogan wants Turkish law to impose a broader definition of terrorism as the country faces threats of renewed conflict with Kurdish militants and attacks by the Islamic State group.