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EU WON'T ACCEPT TURKEY, EVEN IF ANKARA MEETS ALL POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REQUIREMENTS
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 17:58 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey must speed up long-delayed reforms to keep its
bid to join the European Union on track amid fatigue over expanding
membership of the 27-nation bloc, the EU's enlargement chief said on
Thursday, Hurriyet Daily News reported.
Olli Rehn said there was "plenty of work" for Turkey to do on issues
such as freedom of expression and the media, as well as trade union
rights, if it wanted entry into the bloc.
"Turkey needs to seriously resume reforms enhancing fundamental
freedoms," Rehn told Reuters in an interview in Washington, where he
was meeting U.S. State Department and World Bank officials to discuss
a range of issues, including Turkey.
He said Turkey must adopt a law on trade unions respecting the
standards of international labor organizations - a demand made for
the past three years.
"It was last promised in January and then by April and we have not
seen it. Therefore we cannot open a chapter (negotiations) on social
policy in employment as there is no agreement," Rehn said.
In Turkey, skepticism about the EU and the belief it is unfairly
hindering the majority Muslim but secular nation's accession talks
have grown, with powerful conservative opponents having said they
will resist attempts to change the constitution.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 17:58 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey must speed up long-delayed reforms to keep its
bid to join the European Union on track amid fatigue over expanding
membership of the 27-nation bloc, the EU's enlargement chief said on
Thursday, Hurriyet Daily News reported.
Olli Rehn said there was "plenty of work" for Turkey to do on issues
such as freedom of expression and the media, as well as trade union
rights, if it wanted entry into the bloc.
"Turkey needs to seriously resume reforms enhancing fundamental
freedoms," Rehn told Reuters in an interview in Washington, where he
was meeting U.S. State Department and World Bank officials to discuss
a range of issues, including Turkey.
He said Turkey must adopt a law on trade unions respecting the
standards of international labor organizations - a demand made for
the past three years.
"It was last promised in January and then by April and we have not
seen it. Therefore we cannot open a chapter (negotiations) on social
policy in employment as there is no agreement," Rehn said.
In Turkey, skepticism about the EU and the belief it is unfairly
hindering the majority Muslim but secular nation's accession talks
have grown, with powerful conservative opponents having said they
will resist attempts to change the constitution.