LAST CHANCE?

These hopes are dependent on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Brussels this week. Of course their realization chiefly depends on the views Erdogan expresses during his meeting with European Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen and his speech to the European Parliament. Actually EU officials’ reply to Erdogan’s statements last Friday shows that the European Commission will make changes to its progress report on Turkey. In other words, it will stipulate that Turkish Penal Code (TCK) reforms are enacted and that adultery not be considered a crime. How will Erdogan react? Will he relent and accept this? Or stand firm? Or will both parties find a formula to solve this crisis? Just when everything looked perfect, work on the TCK reforms was suspended and Erdogan’s challenge to the EU seriously damaged Turkish-EU relations seriously. The Parliament and the government were adept at the most sensitive problems, but Turkey stumbled on this issue, something which is very surprising.

Something else which surprised and confused everybody is Erdogan’s rhetoric on the issue. For example, he stated that Turkey had its own conditions and values and that the EU cannot intervene in our domestic affairs. These statements, which surprised political circles in Europe and the media, and put Turkey’s supporters into a tight spot while heartening those opposing Turkey, now constitute the essence of the crisis. Now Europeans accuse Erdogan of not knowing or understanding the EU. They call his stance a ‘deception’ because such arguments were never made during the implementation of previous reforms. This is the true negative development. In other words, the Europeans’ confidence in Turkey was shaken. However, we should take advantage of this window of opportunity to solve the crisis. Turkey should take the initiative and the EU should keep Turkey’s path open. This might be the final chance for both parties, so let’s not pass it up.”