Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-02-10-Speech-3-066"
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"en.20100210.8.3-066"2
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"Madam President, the accession of Turkey to the European Union is a cause of much controversy in some circles. For that process to take place with mutual understanding, it must be assured a high level of quality. Fulfilment of strict but clear conditions, which are understandable and accepted by both sides, is the basis for reception of new members, and this also applies to Turkey.
I would now like to thank the rapporteur, Mrs Oomen-Ruijten, for a comprehensive report on Turkey’s progress in 2009. This year, the report is more critical, and, unfortunately, rightly draws attention to the small amount of progress made by Turkey, especially on questions of citizens’ freedoms and the justice system. However, stagnation in the process of democratisation was not all that happened last year, so it is necessary to be critical where progress was not made or where the situation became worse, but also to show that we value the changes for the better. For, on the one hand, the need to strengthen the principles of the rule of law is being neglected, and the constitution is based on this law, so this should be made a priority. On the other hand, Turkey is putting great effort into the negotiations which have been started, and I welcome the changes and Turkey’s desire to continue reforms in order to meet the Copenhagen criteria.
However, good intentions are not everything. Ankara still has many challenges ahead on the road to membership of the European Union, and those challenges are not easy. I trust that Turkey will manage to overcome all the obstacles, and I wish the country success in reforming itself."@en1
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