Czech MEP argues against Turkey’s EU membership

Mlada fronta Dnes web site, Prague
24 Sep 04

Text of commentary by Czech MEP Josef Zieleniec, political leader of
the Association of Independent Candidates and former Czech foreign
minister, headlined “Cradle of dangerous new crisis”, published
by the Czech newspaper Mlada fronta Dnes web site on 24 September;
subheadings as published

Should Turkey become EU member?

No. The issue of whether Turkey should join the EU is quickly turning
into a key problem that will be decisive for the future of the EU. In
comparison with other, albeit important, disputes such as, in the past,
the discussion of the Maastricht Treaty, the introduction of the euro,
and enlargement to the East, or the ongoing debate over the European
constitution, the discussion of Turkey’s membership most concerns
the sense of European integration, and even its very existence.

Estimates of population growth demonstrate that within a few years,
Turkey will have 80 million inhabitants. That means that, if it were
to join the EU, it would become the largest country in the union,
with the greatest share in decision-making. Meanwhile, in terms
of per capita income Turkey reaches hardly 22 per cent of the EU
average, much less than even the poorest states in the current wave of
enlargement. Never before in the EU has there been such an enormous
discrepancy between demographic strength and economic weakness. The
consequences of such a dangerous combination could be inestimable not
only for the overall solidarity of the EU, but also for its ability
to resolve everyday problems.

Borders With an Explosive Region

The EU would have borders with Syria, Iraq, Iran, Armenia, and
Georgia. These are traditionally enormously explosive areas. The
EU can help to stabilize this region from the position of a global
political force, which it already represents. In the future, the EU
will become an even more significant global political force. However,
if it becomes one side in local disputes, it will rather become part
of the problem than part of the solution. Local conflicts in one of
the most explosive regions of the world would become not only European
problems, but through us, also global problems.

A different tradition and culture in combination with the demographic
growth and poverty of Turkey would transform free movement inside the
EU into the most disputed element of European integration. Enormous
Turkish ghettos would arise all over Europe, which would be a source
of constant cultural and social tensions, and of political tension
flowing from these. The result could be the return of aggressive
xenophobia to Europe.

However, the biggest problem represented by Turkey’s possible
entry into the EU does not have an immediate and direct practical
impact. Nevertheless, it is the most ominous threat. The original
meaning of unification was to overcome European nationalism by
opening the way to the formation of a feeling of connection and a
consciousness of a common identity of Europeans. This process is built
on common histories, common values, and a common way of life, and on
the common political culture that is their fruit. The consciousness
of connection and a common identity is the foundation stone of all
the political processes that are ongoing within the EU; without them,
these processes would not make any sense.

The entry of Turkey would entirely repudiate all of this. Europe
would cease to be our wider homeland and would become an enormous
purpose-made unit without an idea and without meaning, similar in many
ways to former empires in the last phases of their existence. Defining
identity in contrast to such a meaningless entity would become the
basis for the growth of new and forceful European nationalism. European
integration, instead of being the basis for resolving age-old European
problems and a definitive stabilizing factor of the continent, would
become the cradle of a new and dangerous European crisis.

Just good friends

Supporters of Turkey’s entry into the EU argue most often by referring
to this country’s geo-strategic significance (by the way, much less
now than during the existence of the Soviet Union) and the benefit
for the stability of the Middle East and the Caucasus. However, the
main result of accepting Turkey would not be stability in these areas,
which is problematic regardless of whether Turkey is accepted or not,
but the guaranteed destabilization of the whole of Europe.

The relationship between the EU and Turkey should be friendly,
intensive, and have special institutional arrangements. However, the
consequences of Turkey’s full EU membership would seriously damage
not only the EU, but also Turkey itself.