Is Turkey a threat to the European Union or the other way round?

QUORA QUESTION: Is Turkey a threat to the European Union or other way round?

ANSWER: Based on below evaluation it seems that the party to suffer might as well be Turkey.

It can easily be said that relations between Turkey and European countries go back to the mid-nineteenth century. When Turkey applied to the European Union in 1959, EU-Turkey relations took on a new dimension. Some European countries have argued that the EU has a Christian tradition and culture, so Turkey’s membership should not even be considered, while some other EU countries have argued that Turkey should also be a member of the Union since the EU is a multinational, multi-religious and multicultural society.

When we look at the problems Turkey has been exposed to by the EU, what do we see?

It should be noted that Turkey has been completely separated from other candidate countries by the customs union document signed on March 6, 1995. Ankara has unilaterally transferred its foreign trade policy to the EU with concerned document. With the document signed on 17 December 2004, the EU also announced the process was unclear regarding when and how the negotiations would be finalized. No guarantees were given to Turkey, and all conditions that would lead Turkey to a “special status“ in the process, were accepted by the government.

Based on same document the Turkish Labor Force would not be able to enter the EU. However, the aim of EU membership is the free movement of goods, services, capital and Labor. It is also suitable for the neoliberal system, which is the product of the World Economic understanding of the period. But for Turkey, even if it is a full member, the free movement of Labor is not accepted. This is absolutely against the spirit of full membership and has never been envisaged about any country before. But when it comes to EU citizens, they will have the right to free movement in Turkey!

Although the European Union (EU) offers abundant funds to other countries, it does not support Turkish agriculture and does not benefit Turkey from financial funds, no funds are provided for Turkey in the budget calendar of the EU Commission report for 2007-2013.

Regarding the issue of Syria and refugees, 4.3 billion euros is said to be paid to Turkey in total by 2025 at the latest. As for Syrian asylum seekers, the EU has also withdrawn its support from all sides, leaving Turkey alone with asylum seekers.

On the other hand, the EU has the idea of creating an autonomous region in our Southeast, which is also a “Kurdistan project“ – which has continued from Sevr to the present day. The European Parliament has never hidden that it is behind the Kurdistan project and continues to make decisions on this issue almost every year.

According to the EU, “Turkey should withdraw its troops from Cyprus” and forget the Turkish Cypriots and recognize the Greek Cypriots as the sole ruler of Cyprus.

The EU is also trying to impose new minorities on Turkey and reignite existing ones. In progress reports, the EU describes Turkey’s Alawite citizens as a minority of a separate religion. However, Alevism is an integral way of life of Turkish society based on “reason, science and culture”. The EU targets to change this treaty and the constitutional structure of the Republic of Turkey and the nature of the national state and restructure Turkey in an ethnic and religious manner.

The” Armenian problem” policy is an important part, tool and result of the European Union’s policies in Turkey. “It was developed to deteriorate Turkey’s integrity, independence and future.” Certainly, this is a hostile attitude towards Turkey. One of the strongest supports behind it is undoubtedly France. As a matter of fact, before the ink had dried on the signatures issued on 17 December 2004, the French Foreign Minister made the following statement: “Turkey must recognize the Armenian tragedy. This issue will be brought to the negotiating table.”

The EU wants Turkey to give up its unique, national values and institutions. In this context President of France J. Chirac once said, “Turkey’s membership? Never without being like us! Turkey will decide if they want to adapt to our values or not. We should allow Turkey, time”

The EU wants to take Turkey to a federal regime step by step. To provide some evidence; the Kurdistan project, the demand for water resources in the GAP (south eastern Anatolia), the local administrations law, the EU request for greater freedom to the activities of Christian missionaries…

The EU wants a solution in the Aegean in accordance with the demands of Greece, not Turkey. Today 18 islands are occupied by Greece.

In short, many opinion leaders and experts say “the EU is dragging Turkey towards a new Sevres agreement.” As long as EU’s policy regarding Turkey is not clearly grasped Turkey – EU relations are bound roll into problems. At the end of the day it seems that the party that will suffer in this is Turkey with its 83 million people.