Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-01-Speech-4-024"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2004-04-01"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Progress towards accession by Turkey2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20040401.2.4-024"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2004-04-01-Speech-4-0252
lpv:speaker	lp:Philip Claeys2
lpv:spokenAs	member; NA (2003-06-16--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Vlaams Blok (2003-06-16--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport (2003-07-02--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2003-07-03--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, as has been amply elucidated here, Turkey has made progress with its reforms. Just as well! However, the point is not whether candidate Member States make progress, but whether they meet the criteria in order to be able to join. That is clearly not the case. Time permitting, I could list here a whole ream of fundamental problems that Turkey is still facing. The human rights situation remains precarious, despite the reforms, which are mostly in place only on paper and are not being put into practice. On a socio-economic level too, the gap between Turkey and the European Union is so wide that it would be totally irresponsible even to consider Turkey's accession. I therefore fail to understand why some speakers state that Turkey will become a Member of the European Union, come what may. This attitude sums up perfectly all the things that are going wrong with the European Union. An appeal is made for including a non-European and Islamic country in the European Union, without holding a fundamental discussion on this. We want to include a country that, in 15 years' time, will be the largest Member State in terms of population and in terms of surface area. Moreover, that country will become the largest net recipient by far, but the population in Europe has not been consulted on this at any time; there will be no referendum in the Member States. We are even being warned against discussing the Turkey issue during the election campaign. In other words, fundamental decisions are being taken without reference to Europe’s citizens. That is the democratic deficit all over. What it comes down to is that Turkey is not a European country and, as such, does not belong in the European Union. Nobody has ever had the courage to say this to the Turks, but one day we will have to. Turkey can, and has to, be helped as a friendly country, but that can be done perfectly well with an association agreement and in the framework of the Policy of Good Neighbourliness."@en1

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