BRUSSELS - European Union (EU) Commission unveiled on Wednesday Regular Report on the progress towards accession of Turkey for 2003.
The report comprised of 140 pages reflects progress recorded by Turkey and its deficiencies on the road to EU accession.
REGULAR REPORT ON PROGRESS TOWARDS ACCESSION OF TURKEY FOR 2003
EU Commission defines reforms made in Turkey for the last one year as important indicators.
The report which handles political developments in Turkey underlines importance that Ankara government attaches to reforms and EU accession process.
Pointing to importance of implementation of reforms in practical life, the report stresses importance of the government's forming a ''Reform Monitoring Group'' and announcement of ''zero tolerance'' policy against torture.
The report states that a number of fundamental changes have been made to the legal framework of the National Security Council (NSC) with a view to aligning relations between civil and military authorities on practice in EU Member States and gives information in detail about these changes.
The report says that the NSC continue to express political views and notes that implementation of reforms in the real sense is important.
Recalling that state of emergency (OHAL) was lifted in the Southeast, the report states that positive developments continue in Turkish-Greek relations.
EU Commission claims in its report that effect of reforms is restricted and implementation of reforms is slow and irregular and refers to restrictions in implementation of regulations on radio-tv broadcasting in languages other than Turkish and rights of associations to acquire properties and circulars on naming children.
The report says that use of names including the letters Q, W and X, commonly used in Kurdish, is still banned.
The report says there are still deficiencies in Turkey as military representatives remain in High Audio-Visual Board (RTUK) and the High Education Board (YOK), there are restrictions in control of defense expenditures, there is incoherence in use of provisions of Turkish Penal Code (TSK) regarding freedom of expression, there are delays in formation of institutional structure in fight against corruption, and there are deficiencies in signing of conventions and agreements of United Nations and Council of Europe on civil and political rights and minority rights.
The report also criticizes that there are delays in implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), there are deficiencies in adjustment to provisions on right to fair trial and defense right, Turkey doesn't comply with European Convention on Human Rights and EU acquis in fight against discrimination, there are deficiencies in investigation, trial and execution of punishments regarding crimes of torture, violations of rights of inmates, shortcomings in prisons, difficulties in fulfilling duties of judges, and there were differences in interpretation and implementation of laws on expression of thoughts that don't include any violence.
The report also criticizes heavy punishment of authors, journalists and publishers, ban on some publications and restrictions of use of internet, restrictions on radio-tv broadcastings in languages other than Turkish, decisions of RTUK, restrictions based on race, origin, religion, region or minority status in freedom of establishing an association, security forces' use of extreme violence against demonstrators, continuation of party closure practices, ongoing problems of non-Muslim minorities in real body, property acquisition, administration and education of religious people, non-recognition of Alawites in religious affairs and national education system, deficiencies in women-men equality, deficiencies in education and security rights of children, problems stemming from incompliance with European Social Charter in trade union rights, discriminative and restrictive implementations against minorities, and problems faced during return of citizens to their homes after the emergency rule was lifted.
-CYPRUS-
The report notes regarding Cyprus issue that Turkish government has on several occasions confirmed its support for efforts to find a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem within the United Nations and it announced that framework agreement envisaging customs union between Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would not be confirmed.
-ECONOMY-
The report evaluates recent situation of Turkish economy in Copenhagen economic criteria. The report includes several views on functioning of free market economy, structural reforms, inflation, financial control, state enterprises, developments in finance sector and deficiencies in this respect.
The report said Turkey recorded progress on the way to be a fully functional market economy by strengthening its institutional structure, but that development level could not yet be reached in macro-economic stability.
The commission said reforms, which had to be made in economic program process, seemed to lose speed, stressing that the work force increased rapidly when compared with employment. The commission claimed that rate of unemployment could continue to increase because of this.
The report stressed that the lowest rate of the recent years was caught in inflation, noting that price increases that were made in public sector to reach financial targets negatively affected decrease process of inflation.
The report said real interest rates continued to be high because of uncertain approach of the new government and weakness of local capital markets, and noted that high interest rates prevented productive investments. The report said debt rate continued to be the most important obstacle in front of state sector and economy, although there was a decrease in debt rate.
The commission said prices became more appropriate to the market conditions after removal of legal obstacles in front of decrease of personnel in state institutions.
The report refers to the studies taken in increasing financial transparency, and it says that the Financial Administration and Financial Inspection Law which was prepared to make the division of labor among public administrations is an important step.
The report focuses on the new regulations made in the field of transmission and production in electricity sector, noting that the imbalance in prices started to lessen due to ending of the public financial support, the price supporting system applied in agricultural sector was changed into direct income support and the electricity prices were determined by an independent institution.
The Commission noted that the income gained from initiatives to speed up privatization was very limited, adding that new initiatives were started to privatize institutions such as State Monopolies (TEKEL) and Turkish Telecom.
The report stated that small and medium scale enterprises (SMSEs) faced important difficulties in getting financial support from banks and they faced red tape in founding businesses, adding that the companies' registration methods were eased and new facilities were brought for foreign investors.
Pointing out to the serious deficiencies seen in implementation of existing laws regarding intellectual property rights, the report said that employment policies became closer to international standards, the reconstruction and merger in banking sector continued, infrastructure investments decreased due to lack of source, the repair of electricity networks was not sufficient, the system used in railway transportation was out of date and that it had to be renewed in a comprehensive way.
The report notes that the Turkish economy continued to move on the way of becoming a service-producing one in long term rather than being an economy dependent on agriculture.
ANKARA DESCRIBES EU COMMISSION'S PROGRESS REPORT AS PRODUCTIVE, POSITIVE AND BALANCED
Diplomatic sources told the A.A correspondent on Wednesday that steps taken by Turkey in its EU membership process, and its deficiencies were included in the report clearly and objectively.
They said that there were some expressions in the report considering Turkey a part of the EU family.
Noting that the report put forth the multi-dimensional stage which Turkey had reached in its EU process, the same sources said that the report was written in an encouraging style.
An official said that there were not any dissatisfactory expression in the Sixth Progress Report, adding that Turkey had been progressing in its EU process rapidly.
Referring to the expressions about the Cyprus question in the Continuing Enlargement Strategy Paper of the EU Commission, diplomatic sources said that the expression was not included in the paper as a political criterion.
They said that the expression should not be assessed as a pre-condition.
Sources noted that however, it could not be possible to abstract Turkey's EU membership process and the Cyprus question from each other.
Accentuating that Turkey was in favor of a lasting and fair peace in the island, sources said that if the Greek Cypriot side became a member of the EU in May of 2004 before a solution was reached, it would be able to speak authoritatively about Turkey's EU process.
Sources said that the expression in the paper could be assessed to this end.
Another official noted that Turkey had succeeded in overcoming many obstacles in the EU process over the last 40 years, and added that Turkey would overcome the new obstacles in the future.
CYPRUS ISSUE TAKES PLACES IN STRATEGY PAPER
The Strategy Paper expresses ''strong preference and wish'' for accession by a united Cyprus on May 1, 2004 while stresses that ''the absence of a settlement could become a serious obstacle to Turkey's EU aspirations.''
The Paper says that the Commission considers that there are favorable conditions for the two communities to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem before Cyprus' accession to the EU on 1 May 2004.
''To this end, the EU should reiterate its call to all parties concerned, in particular Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership, to resume the talks on the basis of the U.N. Secretary General's proposal,'' the Paper notes.
''ALPHABET'' PROBLEM IN EU COMMISSION
The European Union (EU) Commission, which criticizes ban on use of names including the letters Q, W and X, commonly used in Kurdish in the 2003 Regular Report on Turkey's progress towards accession, is having difficulties in replying to questions on this issue.
EU Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen, who interviewed with state-run TRT channel, showed angry reactions to the issue.
When the reporter said that the progress report tells about Q, W and X letters and asked if it was a new condition, Verheugen said that ''it was a criterion, but not a new one.''
Verheugen said that ''they were asking critical question having a critical aspect and said that language problem should be solved.''
Asked if there was a demand for an alphabet change, Verheugen said that he did not care how Turkey would handle the issue.
Verheugen noted that what was important was education in a language other than Turkish and stressed that it was a definite precondition. They would not make any positive evaluation before that precondition was met, Verheugen said.
EU spokesmen failed to reply questions of reporters who asked the meaning of the expressions in the report on that issue and wanted to learn whether or not they reflected any demand or criticism.
A Turkish reporter with dual citizenship and having a French passport and a Turkish reporter with Belgian passport asked a question to EU Commission spokesmen saying that ''they had letters like Ş, İ and Ğ in their names and those letters were written as S, I and G in their identity cards'' and ''if it would be right and legal to ask for an alphabet change by suing their EU member countries.''
Upon this question, spokesmen said that they would not make an official statement or evaluation on that issue and the answer of the question could be searched by experts, not hiding their uneasiness.
(BRC-AÖ) 05.11.2003