The European Commission issued a report yet another annual evaluation of Turkey's candidacy to the EU in halftone, November 9 last. On the political front, the report notes that since the end of 2009, the news has been dominated by constitutional reform, the opening Kurdish and the multiple trials that are primarily the military hierarchy. This does not prevent him from engaging in a careful analysis of the human rights situation in that country.
Regarding the constitutional amendment adopted September 12, 2010 by referendum, "Turkey Progress Report 2010" reiterates the view expressed to him that had the European Commission proposed changes "are going in the right direction" and "address the priorities outlined in the Accession Partnership." The report concludes that changing the compositions of the Constitutional Court and the HSYK (Hakimler ve Yüksek Kurulu Savcılar - Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors, the equivalent of the Supreme Council of Magistracy in France) and the submission of decisions military tribunals to the ordinary courts are "not positive". However, noting that the Presidency of HSYK it now comes only to the minister of justice, he stressed the need to implement reforms, "according to European standards and following a path open, transparent and consensual." The report also regrets on several occasions that the constitutional reform has not been wider consultation of political parties and civil society.
Regarding the Kurdish question, while the report acknowledges the efforts that have expanded the possibilities of use Kurdish and Arabic languages in the south-east and increasing regional investment under the GAP (Güney Anadolu Projesi, Project Southeastern Anatolia is: operation planning conducted by the Turkish government, relaxing to first on the corresponding development of hydropower and irrigation), he regretted that "the measures announced as part of the democratic opening have been below expectations and have not been finally acted upon concrete . Are also singled out: the dissolution of the DTP (Kurdish parliamentary party since replaced by BDP) in December 2009, the massive roundup of members of KCK (Kurdish organization suspected by Turkish authorities to be an urban branch of the PKK) that followed, the maintenance of minefields and the system of village guards, and the particularly deadly armed clashes with the PKK, which resumed in 2010. The report recommends a reduction of the exceptional nature of anti-terrorism as well as reduced arrests under this legislation.
If the report highlights the results achieved in the fight against corruption and observe the legislative efforts and regulatory that improved gender equality, children's rights or the rights of employees, it also focuses on maintaining a number of shocking situations including on women's rights (honor killings, forced marriages ... ) or stigmatization of homosexuals (recent homophobic remarks of the minister in charge of women and family or military regulation that continues to describe homosexuality as illness).
The "Progress Report 2010", moreover, while observing the improvements resulting from the law on religious foundations in 2008, believes that the situation of non-Muslim minorities remains concern. In particular, there is little change in the fate of the Greek Orthodox minority and notes that the trial of the killers of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, "continues without significant progress" for over 3 years.
Regarding the multiple conspiracy cases, the report is less optimistic than in previous years. He mentions several investigations and trials (Balyoz, Ergenekon, Cage, Erzincan ...). He believes that this process may allow Turkey to strengthen the credibility of its democratic institutions and the rule of law. But he insists repeatedly the imperative to respect the rights of those arrested or implicated, and are of significant deficiencies of the criminal proceedings in this regard.
Among the observations made tougher by the European Commission, on the occasion of this annual assessment are those concerning the Cyprus conflict. The 2010 report noted that Turkey still does not obligations of non-discrimination and full opening of trade flows with respect to Cyprus, arising from the customs union agreement and its Additional Protocol. We know that not opening the ports and Turkish airports to the Republic of Cyprus freeze eight chapters of accession negotiations since 2006. In its 2010 report, the European Commission slams maintaining the status quo in the matter, as does the lack of improvement of bilateral relations between Turkey and Cyprus.
In many ways this report may seem similar to those of previous years (see our edition of October 26, 2009), marked by a very ambivalent about. Beyond the technical evaluation of various aspects of the status of Turkey's application, we note that the Commission is concerned many "climate of political confrontation ambient characterized by a lack of dialogue and compromise." In this respect, reconciliation efforts of the President of the Republic are greeted again, whereas if the government's initiatives to revive reforms necessary for European integration of Turkey are reported, while being regarded as "limited."
However it is regrettable that the political analysis of the Commission does not go a bit further than this appeal to consensus and that it does not try to understand the changing balance policies that are underway, in particular, the decline of the army (very weak output of the last YAS), divisions of the judiciary, changes in the academic hierarchy (increasingly gained AKP), the transformations underway in the field of press and media (scheduled disappearance Doğan group in particular) or mutations of Turkish diplomacy. It is true that the essence of such a report is to stick to the conditions of accession and the responses that are made each year by the candidate. This method is strictly adhered to in Part 4 of the report, which describes the ability of the acquis Community, chapter by chapter, this is understandable. However, the second part of the report (dedicated to "political criteria") might give way to a more open policy analysis and strategic. Otherwise the Commission may be doomed to repeat every year, this age-old speech stating that Turkey has not fallen but it can do better. This approach ultimately leads to the impression that nothing changes in Turkey, even though political change (decline of the army and the judicial hierarchy), economic (spectacular results the Turkish economy in recent months) and diplomatic (new foreign policy) are major ongoing since 2007. These mutations do not necessarily assume, moreover, the ability of Turkey to join the European Union, but without doubt it would be interesting to approach them with greater boldness and in a more forward looking.
JM
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