Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
I've got another question for our guest contributor, Kori Schake. To be honest, it's a bit of a rhetorical question, but I'm open to having my mind changed.
Last week, Kori wrote that "Turks complain–with reason–that the EU worked with former eastern European and Soviet states to help them get into the EU but are only sullenly responsive to Turkish efforts." (My emphasis.) It is certainly true that Turks complain of this: Prime Minister Erdogan, for example, has declared Turks "offended" by the wait. Many Turks believe that Europeans just don't like Muslims. And as Kori's comment hints, many Americans agree.
But let's look at the details. The EU's progress report was released last month. Here are links to the leaked draft. Few people will read the whole thing, so I'll highlight a few points that might never make it into the media--but for which I can surely vouch:
- The drafting and adoption of the constitutional reforms was not preceded by a consultation process involving political parties and civil society.
- The scope of parliamentary immunities continues to raise concerns. It is too wide in cases of corruption but at the same time it does not adequately protect the expression of non-violent opinions.
- No progress has been made on improving parliament’s rules of procedure. Adoption of the draft finalised in February 2009 by the Consensus Committee on Rules of Procedure is still pending, due to lack of consensus between the political parties.
- No progress has been made on reforming the civil service system, in particular to reduce red tape, to develop regulatory impact assessments (RIA) and to ensure transparency and merit-based advancement and appointments, particularly to high-level positions.
- No progress has been made concerning parliamentary oversight of the defence budget or on audit of the properties of the armed forces by the Court of Auditors
- No progress was made on parliamentary oversight over extra-budgetary military funds.
- The regional courts of appeal are not operational yet. By law, they should have been in operation by June 2007.
- There has been no progress on introduction of a mediation system into civil justice.
- No progress has been made on limiting the immunities of Members of Parliament concerning corruption-related offences.
- The high number of cases initiated against journalists who have reported on the Ergenekon case is a cause for concern. They face prosecutions and trials for violating the principle of confidentiality of an ongoing judicial process. This could result in self-censorship.
- There are frequent website bans, which are disproportionate in scope and duration. Youtube was officially inaccessible in Turkey from May 2008 to November 2010, after publication of videos which allegedly violated the Law on crimes against Atatürk. Other court cases are still ongoing against the video sharing website and other mainstream web portals have been banned for several years. Law n°5651 on the Internet limits freedom of expression and restricts citizens' right to access information.
- As regards freedom of the press, concerns remain as regards political attacks against the press. The court case on the tax fine ordered in 2009 against Dogan Media Group, critical of the government, continues. The press exercises self restraint when reporting following the initiation of this case.
- There is evidence of an increase in honour killings.
- Early and forced marriages remain a cause for concern.
- Women’s organisations report deterioration in their dialogue and their cooperation with relevant public institutions, at both central and local levels.
- There has been limited progress on preventing child labour. There is still no effective monitoring system in place.
- Anti-Semitism remains an issue, especially in connection with hate speech in the pro-Islamist and ultranationalist media.
- The government has confirmed the independence of the regulatory and surveillance agencies. But despite the regulatory framework, government authorities still tend to set the prices in some key areas, including in electricity and gas markets, and to a lesser extent in telecommunications and transportation, in particular in rail transportation.
- Enforcing commercial contracts remains a lengthy process, which involves 35 procedures and takes 420 days on average.
- Although there has been some progress and the top students in Turkey are performing well, the vast majority of Turkish students perform at the lowest proficiency levels in basic skills and problem-solving.
- The absence of transparent monitoring of state aid and of supporting policies to reduce distortion continued to have an adverse effect on competition and competitiveness in the economy.
- Public procurement policies continued to be undermined by exceptions to the regulatory framework. Overall, state intervention continued to be untransparent, which might have had a negative effect on competition and competitiveness. (My note: Understatement of the year.)
- Technical barriers to trade have increased in certain areas, such as pharmaceuticals. A new requirement calling for good manufacturing practice certificates for registration of pharmaceutical products for human use resulted in a de facto ban on imports from Europe by causing long delays in the registration process.
- No progress can be reported on procedural measures. The Under-Secretariat of Foreign Trade continued implementing the provisions of Regulation 765/2008 regarding the control of products entering the EU market, even though this Regulation has not been transposed yet into Turkey's national legislation
- There has been little progress on freedom of movement for workers.
- There has been limited progress on the right of establishment and freedom to provide services.
- There has been no progress in the area of freedom to provide cross-border services.
- No progress can be reported on postal services.
- Little progress can be reported on mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
- There has been no progress in capital movements and payments over the reporting period.
- There has been no progress on removing remaining restrictions on foreign direct investments originating from the EU, a priority in this area.
- No progress can be reported on further alignment of Turkey’s payment systems legislation with the acquis.
- Public procurement: No progress can be reported on general principles. Extensive use of the 15% price advantage for domestic bidders continued. The advantage clause was applied to 24% of the overall contract value which was above the threshold, as opposed to 18% in 2009.
- Turkey has yet to make significant progress on alignment of its legislation with the acquis. Registration, licence or authorisation requirements incompatible with the acquis still exist.
- The regional courts of appeal have not been established yet. By law, they should have been in operation by June 2007.
- Little progress can be reported on company law. No progress has been made towards adoption of the long-pending Turkish Commercial Code (TCC) and the Law on the entry into force and implementation of the TCC.
- Limited progress can be reported on auditing.
- No progress can be reported in the legislative framework for industrial property rights.
- Little progress has been made in the area of health and safety at work.
- No progress can be reported on judicial cooperation in criminal and civil matters.
- There has been little progress in the area of consumer protection.
- In the field of communicable diseases little progress was made.
The EU report does note progress in quite a few important matters. But to read it through is to be struck over and over by the words "no progress" and "little progress," particularly in areas that are key to long-term economic growth.
Now, anyone familiar with my work will know very well where I stand on directives and regulations issued by Brussels. I was with Margaret Thatcher when she said, "No! No! No!" I'm with her still. Turkey, take it from me: You're probably not missing much.
But if we take seriously what the EU claims to stand for, it seems quite clear that the problem is not EU "sullenness." It's Turkey's lack of real reform on issues of fundamental significance.
Kori, do you disagree? If so, why?
On points such as those I've highlighted, Turkey can only benefit by bringing itself into compliance with the acquis, whether or not this makes the EU eager to welcome it. There are other EU demands that are predictably absurd and bureaucratic, but these are not.
If I were Turkish, I wouldn't much want to join the EU. In fact, I'd be paddling as fast as I could away from that sinking ship. But I'd be mad as hell that so little progress has been made on these issues. The AKP has had control of the government for eight years. I see the real, crippling effects these problems have on economic growth every single day.
There's a staggering amount of talent and energy in Turkey that could be unleashed if real progress were made toward combatting corruption, educating the workforce, making women full participants in it, and truly liberalizing the economy. Look how well Turkey has done without really doing this--what does that tell you about the industry and resourcefulness of the Turkish people?
If Turkey genuinely brought itself into compliance with these demands--instead of complaining that it's being shut out or making purely cosmetic reforms--this country would quickly become so wealthy and powerful that Europeans would be begging to be admitted to Turkey.
It's not going to happen if Turks focus on feeling offended, however. And the United States would be doing Turkey no favors if it went along with the line that these demands reflect nothing more than prejudice.
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Re: Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
You're surely right, Claire, that the EU report identifies a staggering array of issues on which the Turkish government is out of alignment with EU standards. But the charge sheet for Bulgaria or Romania when they were admitted to the EU wouldn't look all that different from Turkey's. And the EU's about to put Serbia on a track to membership. And that's even before getting to public statements by the Chancellor of Germany and President of France that Turkey has no "vocation" in the EU. So I'm sympathetic to the Turkish complaint that they're being stigmatized.
That doesn't mean it benefits Turkey's cause to wrap themselves in righteousness and not fix their actual problems. But it does mean the EU is contented to identify all Turkey's problems without investing in helping to fix them, when the EU does help other potential members -- and does gloss over numerous failings for others.
Re: Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
Turkey is ten times the size of Bulgaria or Serbia, though, and more than three times as large as Romania. It would if present demographic trends continue soon be the largest member of the EU: So the case that this matters more is, from the European perspective, very rational. That said, I can't for the life of me figure out why the EU would be eager to admit any of those countries--or why they admitted Greece.
As for the EU's willingness to invest in helping Turkey to fix its problems, I'd say it's well-demonstrated:
But were I a European taxpayer, Turkey's lack of progress in establishing transparency in its auditing would give me real pause about this.
Aug '10
Re: Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
Prediction: The EU will not exist in its present form in eighteen months. The odds aren't good. As Maggie Thatcher predicted, the Euro currency is its Achilles Heel. Productive states are propping up deadbeats like Greece and badly mismanaged ones like Spain.
Do Turks genuinely believe there's an EU future?
Americans will have to get used to the dollar being dumped as the reserve currency in favor of a world currency backed by something real. If that happens, the Euro will be history.
I'm talking probabilities here.
Aug '10
Re: Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
As it's nearly Thanksgiving, I can't resist pointing out the marginal ad that this post triggers:
Ellen DeGeneres invites us to "Save a life this Thanksgiving, and join me in starting a new tradition through Farm Sanctuary's Adopt-a-Turkey Project."
Claire points out that Turkey is big, but that the EU is an even bigger turkey. Perhaps Ellen should adopt the EU.
(Is it missing the point to adopt a turkey and then sit down to a nice, juicy roast of beef on Thanksgiving?)
May '10
Re: Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
Midget Faded Rattlesnake: Perhaps Ellen should adopt the EU.
(Is it missing the point to adopt a turkey and then sit down to a nice, juicy roast of beef on Thanksgiving?) · Nov 22 at 8:24am
Midge! We thought you'd upped and died. It's a bar where everybody knows your name. Also, they're always glad you came.
I prefer dealing with turkeys in the woodchipper, Palin style. But if Turkey for some bizarre reason still wants to be in the EU, all they need to do is seize Vienna. It's always such a hang-up with them. I bet they could take it easy these days.
Aug '10
Re: Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
Kennedy Smith
Midge! We thought you'd upped and died. It's a bar where everybody knows your name. Also, they're always glad you came.
Nope, just a Serious Family Emergency. (Aged Relative 1 gets rushed to the ER, Aged Relative 2 has urgent surgery: stage is set for hair-raising family drama.) Said emergency may cause several more mysterious disappearances in the foreseeable future, but I stuck a note in my profile to that effect.
The American Heart Association actually recommends that Turkey should seize Vienna, thereby bolstering the sale of wieners (named for Vienna, of course) made of turkey meat, which is lower in fat.
Farm Sanctuary defends against this lowfat lust for turkey by encouraging turkey obesity. Not through force-feeding, mind you, which is cruel, but through a poultry obesity-acceptance program called Love Your Drumsticks.
And all those durned Chick-fil-A cows have to say is EAT MOR CHIKIN.
Nov '10
Re: Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
And the elephant in the room? Can a Muslim state become part of the EU? Can a Muslim state be a real democracy? Of course, Turkey is the only state whose majority is Muslim to have tried secularism... but there is decent reason to be skeptical of the present Turkish government, and its commitment to the Kemalist ideal...
Oct '10
Re: Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
Claire,
In terms of women's rights, forced marriages and honor killings, Mark Steyn, if I recall, blames this on religious trends and demography. I.e., Attaturk's secularization of Turkey is being slowly undone because the more religious, fundamentalist Muslims of eastern Turkey are having more children than the people living in the more moderate, secular western part of Turkey. Further, his thesis seems to be that the eastern Turkish Muslims are following a broad Islamic trend toward a more fundamentalist practice of Islam. What do you think?
Nov '10
Re: Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
Clair,
I enjoy your Turkish comments. This was an interesting column and I was hoping to get your take:
"Geopolitical Journey, Part 5: Turkey is republished with permission of STRATFOR."
Read more: Geopolitical Journey, Part 5: Turkey | STRATFOR
May '10
Re: Turkey and the EU: Should the Turkish People be Offended?
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Kennedy Smith
Midge! We thought you'd upped and died. It's a bar where everybody knows your name. Also, they're always glad you came.
Nope, just a Serious Family Emergency. (Aged Relative 1 gets rushed to the ER, Aged Relative 2 has urgent surgery: stage is set for hair-raising family drama.) Said emergency may cause several more mysterious disappearances in the foreseeable future, but I stuck a note in my profile to that effect.
Glad you're back for as long as your time allows, MFR! We missed you!
I think the EU will be the ultimate downfall of Europe.