Brussels, 03/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - Next Wednesday, the European Commission is to adopt a regular report on Turkey which - while welcoming legislative reforms recently accomplished - is nonetheless expected to be quite critical towards the Turkish authorities. Sources familiar with the issue say: “The main message of the report will be that Turkey cannot ease up its effort now that membership talks are open. On the contrary, there is still much to be done”. Thus, the Commission will no doubt welcome the six legislative acts that Turkey adopted in recent months in order to allow the opening of membership talks on 3 October, but it will mainly give details of the many problems that still exist in every field. The Commission will also stress that the simple adoption of acquis communautaire will not be enough, but that the acquis should also be implemented and correctly applied. In parallel to the regular report, the Commission will present, on 9 November, a revised Accession Partnership comprising a long list of detailed priorities that Turkey should comply with. The revised partnership will contain short term priorities (to be implemented within two years) as well as medium term priorities (between three and five years). According to The Financial Times, short term priorities will also include the obligation to abolish torture, to protect the interests of non-Muslim religious communities, to establish parliamentary control of military and defence policy, abolish all remaining powers of military courts to judge civilians, and ensure independence of the judiciary. The Commission has refused to comment on this information.
On Wednesday, the Commission will also adopt: - the regular report on Croatia; - a report on progress accomplished by Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro; - an opinion on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) request for membership; - and a strategy paper on EU enlargement policy.