British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw cautioned Monday that Türkiye's push to criminalize adultery could jeopardize its chances of joining the European Union. Straw, whose government has been among Ankara's strongest EU backers, expressed hope that a December EU summit would set a start date for accession talks.
Türkiye's ruling AKP party introduced legislation earlier this month restoring jail time for adultery, a offense removed from the books eight years ago. EU enlargement commissioner Guenter Verheugen, returning from an assessment visit ahead of his October progress report, called the proposed change baffling and ill-timed.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in September 2004, in its own words.