Brussels, 10/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - During a visit to Brussels, Turkey's Minister for European Affairs and chief negotiator, Mevlut Cavusolgu, has again called for negotiation chapters to be opened “as quickly as possible” - particularly Chapters 23 and 24. “We are expecting the EU to open more chapters in 2014. There is a consensus among European officials and leaders, including François Hollande and Angela Merkel, on the fact that Chapters 23 and 24 need to be opened”, he said during a conference on EU-Turkey relations and the outlook for the business community. “These chapters are essential for improving democratic standards and the rule of law”, he said, adding that it would also be positive for the business climate. The opening of these chapters is currently blocked by the Republic of Cyprus due to the division of the island after the Turkish invasion of 1974. “Who is going to manage convince Cyprus? Greece? The EU bodies? Germany? France?” he asked the European Parliament.
Cavusoglu was also amazed that the EU, which is reflecting on how it can reduce its energy dependence on Russia, is “reluctant to open negotiations on the energy chapter [Chapter 15] with Turkey”. He reiterated in this regard that his country is a transit country for energy. In Cavusoglu's view, it is “high time” to accelerate Turkey's EU accession process.
Cavusolgu also stated that “even if these chapters are not officially opened, it is important that the work can continue (…). The negotiation criteria are the criteria on which we are working”. “We want 2014 to be the year of reforms”, he added (our translation).
EU calls for more cooperation on reforms. Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle reiterated the EU's concerns regarding recent developments in Turkey that undermine the independence of the judiciary and freedom of expression. “As a country desirous of progressing in the accession negotiations, Turkey must now urgently commit fully to the reform process in line with European standards”, Füle said after of his meeting with Cavusoglu. “We need to change the way in which we cooperate as regards the accession negotiations. This is particularly important for the areas of the rule of law and fundamental rights. We need to intensify our dialogue at all phases of policy and law making on these issues which are at the very centre of the accession process. They must be treated as an absolute priority”, he added, saying that it was also necessary “to work closely on the assessment of the existing legislation”.
Elsewhere, the European Commission told French news agency AFP on 10 April, through Dennis Abbott, the spokesperson for the European commissioner for education, that the Commission did not plan to suspend the Erasmus programme in Turkey, after the Commission's investigation into the suspicions of fraud at the Turkish Ministry of European Affairs. After analysing the preliminary results of the audit that was carried out, the Commission “does not envisage suspension of the Erasmus programme, nor any other measure likely to have a negative effect on the current or future beneficiaries of this programme”, he said. (CG)