BY YILMAZ OZTUNA
TURKIYE- Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on the required criteria for the political power in Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:
The best side of the power of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) is its determination about Turkey’s European Union membership bid. However, the issue through which it flounders is our relations with the US. The issue of 11 Turkish soldiers’ detention by the US in northern Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah and then their release is one of the last signs of the problems in Turkish-US relations. The possibility of the growth of this serious situation is also alarming.
The AKP’s attempts at investigating and stopping corruption caused the nation’s optimism. Up to now, a series of commissions had been established in Parliament and so many things had been told about it. However, those who caused corruption hadn’t been punished. Therefore the Turkish nation is angry. Turkish people aren’t interested in the hindrances about regulations and judgment. They also despise the political powers who don’t remove these hindrances.
However, these hindrances will be removed when we reach the EU standards. What’s more, rearing the Turkish national culture will be possible only this way. The sources of evil bothering Turkey will be removed with our integration with Europe.
Consequently, we favor all the political, bureaucratic and intellectual staff in Turkey which are trying to reach Turkish Republic to the EU norms, which is the level of modern civilization itself.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION