The European Union to Remain Turkey's Dream

Turkey dreams to join the EU. However, EU does not want Turkey as a member

This is an indisputable fact: Turkey strives to join the European Union. Turkey started working on this about 30 years ago. However, the country has not yet become even a candidate in the line of those wishing to join the European Union.

The Turkish government has recently started efforts that could allow to achieve its desired goal. The Turkish parliament approved of several bills that made Turkish laws closer to European laws. It stands the reason that the EU only welcomed that. But it was only a welcome, nothing more. Yet, Turkey takes steps that infringe upon its national pride. For example, Turkey changed the sentence of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. He will not be executed; he will serve a lifetime of imprisonment.

Europe was very happy about this. However, Europe did not open its arms to Turkey. Reuters informed that the European Committee refused to recommend a certain date to start negotiations concerning Turkey’s incorporation in this organization. Reuters did not specify why such a decision was made. However, there is one thing that is clear. Here is what the French newspaper Le Figaro wrote in August concerning the issue.

It was hard for the newspaper to imagine Turkey as a member of the European Union. It was explained with numerous reasons, like, for example, the church and the state do not go together in Turkey, the majority of the country’s population is Muslims, the country is basically located in Asia, and it is a member of NATO as well as a member of the Organization Islamic Conference. Le Figaro doubted if the European Union could accept such problem countries (Syria, Iran, Iraq) as its members.

Here is the basic explanation. The Europeans are being politically correct, they do not need countries that might become sources of problems. What if Muslim radicals come to power in Turkey? It has happened several times before, so why not again? The Turkish army stopped all of those attempts, but it was normal from the point of view of Turkey, not Europe. It is hard to imagine European countries using coups to settle their political problems.

In other words, the European Union does not want to be responsible for such problems. Europe is taking into consideration the fact that there are economic and social problems in Turkey, in addition to political ones. Needless to mention that no one in Europe wants to deal with them.

Turkey believes that it is a European country. However, this is definitely not enough for joining the European Union. Turkey will have to solve its problems on its own. The European Union is meant to remain Ankara’s dream.

Vasily Bubnov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov