Brussels, 15/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - The “enlargement” reports presented on 9 November by the European Commission gave rise to different reactions among MEPs including within one and the same political group (EUROPE 9065 and 9066). On the subject of Turkey, German Green member Cem Özdemir above all welcomes the fact that the Commission had set the right tone for the Turkish economy by contradicting those who wave the spectre of a poor country “begging” at the door of the EU. At the same time, the German MEP of Turkish origin recognises in a press release that one should not play down the problem of development differences between western and eastern regions of Turkey, or corruption. The EU is right to want to step up pressure on Turkey, Mr Özdemir says, mainly placing emphasis on “zero tolerance” when it comes to torture. He states that there should no longer be any trials such as those against the Egitim Sen trade union which is fighting for education to be carried out in mother tongues such as Kurdish or Arabic. Elmar Brok, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, welcomes the “new tone of the Commission” which, he says in a press release, now admits that what matters is not what is on paper but rather the concrete implementation of reforms promised by the Turkish government. Since December 2004, Ankara's reform efforts have slowed down considerably, as the Commission is also ready to admit, the German Christian Democrat states. Speaking within the same group, the EPP-ED, CSU member Markus Ferber is not at all satisfied and considers in a press release that the Commission should have been “more consequential” and suggest the idea of a “privileged partnership” for Turkey. Generally speaking, Mr Ferber calls for the pace of enlargement to be slowed down, noting that “two key countries like Germany and France are plunged into a deep political crisis”. On the subject of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, he says: the Commission is increasingly losing the sense of reality.
The EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, said on the contrary that he was “very pleased that the European Commission, after a rigorous assessment, has found that progress made is sufficient to recommend candidate status”. Less than five years ago, FYROM stability was threatened by “a destructive internal conflict”, he recalls, acknowledging the fact that “more and harder work is needed” in Skopje in many fields.