EU urges judicial reform in Turkey

29/05/2008

The EU stressed judicial reforms in Turkey at a meeting Tuesday in Brussels. The case against the ruling AKP and possible chapter openings also were on the agenda.

By Ayhan Simsek for Southeast European Times -- 29/05/08

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan (left) and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn attend the meeting Tuesday (May 27th). [Getty Images]

The EU again criticised the closure case filed against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and called for a comprehensive reform of the judiciary, which it criticised for acting with political motivations.

"A well-functioning judiciary is of crucial importance for all [EU] candidate countries," Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said on Tuesday (May 27th) in Brussels, following the 46th meeting of the EC-Turkey Association Council.

The meeting took place amid deepening tensions between Turkey's Islamist-rooted government and the secular judiciary. Turkey's Constitutional Court is expected to rule next month on charges the AKP is undermining the state's secularism.

A recent statement by the Supreme Court of Appeals, slamming the government for a series of actions, including allowing female university students to wear headscarves, was termed a "judicial memorandum" in the press.

Deploring the closure case against the conservative AKP, Rehn called for a ruling compatible with democratic principles and the rule of law. The EU believes the judiciary is exceeding its constitutionally-defined role, but it urged the government to honour judicial independence and to avoid provoking more tension.

"We encourage continued dialogue between the government and the judiciary, in the parliament and in civil society at large to ensure a broad consensus for [EU] reforms," Rehn said.

Striving to encourage Ankara to reinvigorate political and economic reforms, the EU said it plans to open two new chapters of accession talks -- on corporate law and intellectual property. Rehn said negotiators could open seven more chapters if Turkey meets its benchmarks.

France's objection on Monday to using the word "accession" -- meaning full Union membership for Turkey -- sparked a strong reaction by Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, who threatened to boycott the EC-Turkey Association Council meeting. A last-minute retreat by France on Tuesday prevented a crisis.

Babacan criticised the moves by France and said they undermine Turkey's full membership prospects, saying, "If you remove [the goal of membership], it will become a matter of debate in Turkey where the ongoing negotiations are leading us," he said. Support in Turkey for EU membership continues to decline. In 2004, 75% backed the effort. That figure dropped to 49% in the latest Eurobarometer survey.

Turkey must complete 35 chapters of talks with the EU to gain membership. It started EU accession talks in 2005, but in the last three years, has opened only six chapters. The lingering dispute with Cyprus and objections to offering full EU membership by French President Nicolas Sarkozy have delayed the process.