Standstill in reforms, mixed signals from Turkey ahead of EU membership talks
By JAMES C. HELICKE
.c The Associated Press
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) – Turkey has recently yanked erotic television
channels off the air, sharply boosted taxes on alcohol and governing
party lawmakers have pushed to ban adultery.
That’s hardly the record the European Union expects from a government
that in recent years passed unprecedented democratic reforms and
brought this mainly Muslim country closer than ever to membership in
the elite club of nations.
Since the EU in December agreed to extend membership negotiations to
Turkey, liberalization efforts have come to a near standstill as Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s populist party finds itself torn
between Islamists seeking a higher profile for religion, nationalists
lukewarm about reforms demanded by the bloc, and EU enthusiasts who
are increasingly vocal that Turkey quickly live up to membership
obligations.
“The (Justice and Development Party) is a composite of different
groups from liberals to Islamists to strong nationalists. Erdogan is
trying to balance all of these groups,” said Huseyin Bagci, a
professor of international relations at Ankara’s Middle East Technical
University. “Erdogan has to prove that he’s sincere with the EU. At
the same time, he still has to satisfy the expectations of an
electorate that is making demands on certain issues.”
Erdogan on Tuesday named Ali Babacan, the minister in charge of the
economy, as chief negotiator for talks with the European Union on the
country’s membership, but that appointment came only after months of
wrangling within the party.
Although Turks overwhelmingly embraced efforts to secure a date for
membership negotiations with the 25-nation EU, many are less
enthusiastic about the difficult measures that Turkey must now take.
Before the talks can begin, Turkish lawmakers must approve a customs
union agreement that many say would imply recognition of Cyprus’ Greek
Cypriot-dominated government. That’s something many Turks, especially
nationalists, will probably find difficult to swallow.
There are other issues which nationalists are finding hard to accept.
The European Court of Human Rights ruled this month that imprisoned
Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan did not receive a fair trial;
European politicians are calling on Turkey to confront the mass
killings of Armenians around the time of World War I that are
considered a genocide by Armenians; and Europeans are pushing for new
reforms that would give minority Kurds greater rights despite a sharp
recent flare-up of violence with Kurdish rebels.
Soner Cagaptay of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy
referred to “the honeymoon before the date where everything was
perfect.”
“Now it’s no longer a fantasy, it’s a reality,” Cagaptay
said. “It’s not just about benefits. It’s also about sacrifices.”
Recent opinion polls, including one by the Pollmark polling group last
month, have indicated that most Turks continue to back Turkey’s EU
aspirations, but support has slipped since December.
Even German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, one of Turkey’s staunchest
supporters in Europe, made reference to that concern during a visit to
Turkey earlier this month, urging Erdogan’s government to make clear
it wasn’t hesitating on reform and emphasizing momentum shouldn’t
depend on “changing opinion polls” – a message that appeared aimed
as much at Erdogan as European skeptics.
Erdogan strongly denies there’s any slowdown in the country’s drive
for EU membership. But signs of confusion are visible.
Parliament – which in past years expanded freedom of expression,
trimmed the military’s influence in politics, and allowed Kurdish
language broadcasts on TV – has been more concerned this year with
domestic issues, such as passing a popular amnesty allowing tens of
thousands of students expelled from Turkish universities, including
those who defied a strict ban on Islamic headscarves, to return.
Also worrying for secular critics is a conservative streak that is
sometimes visible in Erdogan’s party.
Last year, the talks were nearly called into question when government
lawmakers sought to include a motion outlawing adultery into an EU
reform package. The government eventually withdrew the proposal.
Earlier this month, Turkey’s broadcasting authority yanked four
pay-per-view pornographic channels off the air, saying they violated
Turkish values. That is despite commitments to the EU to expand
freedom of expression.
Alcohol producers have been complaining that taxes on liquor have
risen four times since Erdogan’s party came to power and a 22.5 lira
(US$16, euro13) bottle of Turkey’s national drink, raki, now includes
around 15 lira ($11, euro9) of taxes. The government says additional
revenue was needed.
Although the government denies any Islamic agenda, it’s also clear the
measures are likely to go over well with conservative constituents,
like 26-year-old Sadik Hira, who sells prayer beads and religious
books in Istanbul’s conservative Eyup neighborhood.
Hira said he supports Turkey’s EU bid, but doesn’t want the government
to give a new trial to Ocalan and expects the government to now focus
its attention on overturning a ban on Islamic headscarves at
universities that is supported by Turkey’s military.
“It’s an issue of freedom,” he said.
05/24/05 10:47 EDT