EU revisited?

The paragraph on candidates similar to Turkey reads as follows: "We see that the Prime Ministry comes to the fore in coordination among public institutions of bigger countries such as Poland and Romania. In Poland the Committee of European Integration Ministries led by the prime minister made all decisions about coordination and integration process. In Romania, European Integration Department established in 1997 was transformed into a ministry working directly with the prime minister after the decision on starting negotiations in 1999. Candidate countries relatively smaller in size and population, solved this through foreign ministries. In Turkey, however, it will not be easy for the Foreign Ministry to have a higher position among ministries other than coordination." Indeed it was not easy!

It is crystal clear that the four years since Turkey was given a start for negotiations, on Dec. 17, 2004, were wasted. Official EU documents point at the waste of time. We also know that Turkey’s candidacy is not on EU’s agenda anymore. So again, we all know that 2009 will be a year of all dangers where the relationship would defacto come to an halt. Despite this dreadful course of events, whatever has happened in the last minute and as a result of the classical Turkish reflex the government decided suddenly to take number of required actions which it was supposed to take since 2004.

The government has first launched the National Program that hasn’t been updated since 2003, set up discussions and recently ratified it. In the meantime, despite all lacunas the state television, TRT, started broadcasting in Kurdish. The Ergenekon crime gang case was brought along. Then, Prime Minister Erdoğan’s trip to Brussels next Monday was announced, he hasn’t been there since Dec. 17, 2004! Most importantly, the EU affairs was assigned to a newly-established state ministry. The Secretariat General for EU Affairs, or SGEU, created in July 2000 as well as the new state ministry are under the Prime Ministry.
Egemen Bağış
Appointment of Egemen Bağış as the new state minister for EU Affairs was a very positive development considering his personality, his dedication to the task and his being close to President Gül as much as to Erdoğan. Considering Turkey’s administrative customs and the size of the country, candidacy to the EU is a huge mission and can be achieved only by a top-level political will. This is what has been done with the latest decision. Bağış will completely dedicate himself to EU works and have full support of the prime minister; that’s critical. His sharing and caring nature as well as propensity for consultation is extremely positive for EU works that require constant exchange of opinion.

Despite these positive developments, it will not be easy at all for Bağış. To fix the damage in bureaucracy and society caused by shelving EU-related works for four years will take time and effort. To start with the strengthening of the SGEU, to encourage bureaucracy, to gain public attention back again, to include representatives of stakeholders in the negotiation process and to review the entire communication strategy domestically and in Europe are things to do first. Right across to us, we see an EU preoccupied with the ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty, global economic crisis and the upcoming European Parliament elections. It is not easy for Turkey to claim a spot in this hectic agenda. The renewed EU structure and political will in Turkey should quickly pull itself together and, meanwhile, support the Cyprus negotiations as best as it can. This is the only way to bring the EU’s attention back on Turkey.

In Brussels, Erdoğan and Bağış will explain to members of the European Commission and Parliament as well as opinion leaders about how determined Turkey is to be an EU member. But Turkey has every right to ask similar political will from EU as our partner. In fact, EU is as responsible as Turkey of the damage caused in the accession process. In this perspective, pronunciation of a reasonable accession date will ease the tension.

I have used expressions like "back to EU affairs" many times before. I wish that this time, in this very blurred political environment everyone has come to his or her sense. I hope we all realize that the "Turkey" ship cannot overcome these storms without a solid EU anchor, so to speak.