EU DELUSION AND REALITY BY ENGIN GUNER (AKSAM)
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer ratified the adjustment bill, which proposes amendments to the Article 159 and 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). The amendments are part of recent reform policies, which Turkey is currently pursuing in order to fulfill EU political criteria. Under the revised Article 159, the punishments are amended. The heaviest punishment was reduced from six years to three, and all fines were lifted. In addition, under the revised Article 312, prison terms of 1-3 years will be given to individuals who incite people to hostility or hatred by dwelling on differences based on social class, race, religion or region and in a way which can endanger public order. A person who insults a certain sector of society or harms human dignity will receive the same punishment. /Sabah/
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday that terrorism, ethnic fighting, mass emigration, drug and arms trafficking, internal disorders and spread of weapons of mass destruction are still a threat in European-Atlantic region. Ecevit released a statement on the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s NATO membership and said that “Turkey with its well educated and disciplined Armed Forces had earned the respect of its allies in defending free and democratic societies as a staunch ally during the Cold War.” /Hurriyet/
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal yesterday received a US House of Representatives delegation consisting of five members of the US-Turkish Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group. US Congressman Robert Wexler chaired the delegation. Stating that the delegation did not arrive in Turkey to convey a message on Iraq, Wexler remarked that since the US understood Turkey’s concerns about Iraq, Bush administration would hold consultations with Turkish officials whenever the US policy over Iraq changed. Reiterating that the US learned which countries are its allies in the post-Sept. 11 period, Wexler said, “Turkey lent its full support to the US in the wake of the terrorist attacks. We appreciate its support. We’re also aware of the losses Turkey suffered during the Gulf War. That’s why we’re here to improve our economic cooperation.” Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Ambassador for Turkey Muhammed Ahmed also visited Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday and met with Director-General of the Middle East Department Turkekul Kurttekin. Ahmed stated that Iraq did not change its policy over the UN inspectors. /Cumhuriyet/
Disputes on the constitutional amendment to lift the death penalty in Turkey in line with the EU request are continuing between coalition partners, as well as opposition parties. The Nationalist Action Party (MHP) is against complete abolition of death penalty while the two other coalition partners the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the Democratic Left Party (DSP) are in favor. Although Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has declared that they would search for a solution in parliament, opposition parties announced that capital punishment might be lifted excluding crimes of terrorism and war. For the lift of the penalty, an amendment to the Penal Code and the Constitution is a must. Otherwise, referendum will be inevitable. /All Papers/
During the meeting of the Council of Ministers yesterday, Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk presented five draft bills. The first bill that was discussed yesterday considered the human smuggling as “crime” for the first time. As part of the bill, not only the prostitutes who enter Turkey through illegal ways, but also those who bring them to Turkey will be punished. In addition, those who leave or attempt to leave Turkey through illegal ways to work abroad and those who take these people to other countries will be punished with the crime of “human smuggling.” If gangs commit these crimes, punishment will be increased. It will be possible to follow people suspected of being gang members with a camera. The bill about the abolition of death sentence includes some arrangements made taking into consideration the Nationalist Action Party’s sensitivity. As part of it, the death sentence could be passed only in situations due to war, close war and terrorism. As part of the bill envisaging a change in the laws regarding those who pass dishonored cheque will not be sentenced to prison immediately. The bill envisages that the person who gives a dishonored cheque will pay heavy fines of 50 billion TL. However, if she/he does not pay the fine, she/he will be imprisoned for three years. Finally, the bill about the amnesty law gives the people the right not to take advantage of the amnesty law if they so desire. /Milliyet/
Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP) Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that there is no need to amend the constitution for the abolition of death penalty. Yilmaz also said that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and the Constitutional Court were of the same opinion. “According to Turkish laws there is no need to hold a referendum for the European Union membership, the decision of the Assembly is enough,” Yilmaz added. /Hurriyet/
Reportedly, the separatist organization PKK is maintaining contacts with the European Union (EU) and the European Parliament (EP) so they will pressure Turkey. The PKK, which requested that a delegation be sent to Turkey through its subsidiary institution, Kurdistan National Congress (KUK), aims to bring the Kurdish education campaign to the international platform. A couple of members of the KUK held meetings with the EP’s member parliamentarians in January and requested their support. Reportedly, members of the European Council and members of the Socialist and Communist Group, which support the activities of the KUK, said that they would bring the issue before the EU, the EP and their parliaments, that Kurds wanted to defend their right to govern themselves and that they would carry out initiatives to send a delegation to Turkey in order to maintain contacts and investigations. /Turkiye/
European Community Institute of Marmara University and Female Employment Center will hold a seminar in order to brief women on the European Union (EU). Prof. Necla Pur said, “The public does not know what Turkey stands to gain or lose if Turkey becomes a member of the EU. The EU-Turkey relations will be explained with simple expressions during this seminar.” 150 women applied to attend the seminar, which will start on March 2 at Marmara University’s Goztepe campus, Ibrahim Uzumcu Conference Hall. At the end of the courses that will last for a month, the participants will get a certificate. /Aksam/
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis during his visit to Tofas Automobile Factory in Bursa yesterday said that there would be no tax reduction in 2002. Dervis also said that tax rates in Turkey were too high but it looks impossible to lower them in 2002. “We started to work on a more effective and healthy tax system in order to reduce tax for the next year,” Dervis added. /Hurriyet/
Turkish fashion designer Ece Ege promoted the Turkish cuisine to France. Ege gave recipes to the weekend magazine of the French daily “Le Figaro” this week. The magazine with a circulation of 700,000 published five pages, including the recipes of the most delicious meals of the Turkish cuisine and photographs. /Aksam/
Vizontele, a box-office hit in Turkey, is the first Turkish film screened in Australia. Vizontele, attracted the great interest of Australians. Besides, Vizontele had been a box-office hit in Germany where it was screened. /Sabah/
Columnist Engin Guner writes on Turkey-EU relations and the chances of Turkey to be admitted into the EU. A summary of his column is as follows:
“It seems that we will miss the Europe train which we have not been able to catch up until now, despite 43 years of efforts to do so. In the EU of 2008, there is no place for Turkey. When the time comes, it will be very hard for the EU to take Turkey in as the Union would need time to absorb the expansion process and would have spent its funds over the new members. Therefore, it would think twice before admitting a country as big as Turkey just as we will have to review our desire to be an EU member state. I do not believe that we are able to see the complex and multidimensional picture very clearly. As the process is continuously influenced by the changes in both the EU and Turkey, and has a dynamic structure, it gradually becomes very difficult to evaluate the situation. However, the excitement of former premier Menderes and his friends, who applied for membership as soon as the Community was formed, cannot be seen today. Even though there may be reasons stemming from the EU, it is not possible to be a member before discussing and accepting what the membership will bring or take, or feel the excitement of it. Today, the stances towards the EU are not sincere. In fact, the EU wants to keep Turkey close by but not within the organization. Therefore taking into consideration Turkey’s geopolitical location and importance has thrown the ball into Turkey’s quarters and told it to come after completing its homework. However, the list of things to do will not be completed very easily. Starting with death penalty, education in mother tongue, Cyprus, Turkish-Greek problems this list could go on forever if desired. It is wrong to turn each and every one of them into bargaining points. Other countries solved the problem with the transition to democracy quickly. The only point, which seems in our favor is the special location of Turkey at the crossroads of civilizations which is recalled once more with the successful Istanbul Forum. Recognizing the importance of Turkey’s role in the dialogue between the EU and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), which achieved great importance following the Sept. 11 attacks, the EU may favorably approach towards our membership. We must start restructuring immediately, and must be a fully democratic country respecting human rights. Only then the EU membership which seems impossible today may be realized.”
