BY FERAI TINC
HURRIYET- For the first time we’ve had the chance to examine the progress report prepared by the European Commission in detail. We’ve read it, asked questions about it and thought about it. We’ve confronted ourselves. After I interviewed Romanian President Ion Iliescu, a young tour guide told me, ‘We can’t become a member of the EU. We still throw cigarette butts on the streets.’ While listening to him, I realized how much Romania has changed. Romanians couldn’t see the difference caused by the EU membership process, but I did. These days I hear similar comments in Turkey. People say, ‘The EU won’t accept us as members.’ However, now I see that we’ve passed the critical threshold. Now we can face each other on a rightful basis, one founded on the Copenhagen criteria, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Aren’t discussions of minority rights a part of this process? We realize that certain groups are frustrated in the exercise of certain rights and understand that that’s why they talk about ‘minority rights.’ When some people say, ‘Minorities should bow to the majority. Minorities should believe what the majority considers appropriate for them,’ certain others fortunately reply, ‘If we live together here, I and those unlike me have and should enjoy equal rights.’ We’ve been confronted with our taboos due to our EU membership bid, and this situation guarantees change in Turkey. Europe is experiencing the same confrontation.
Turkey was the most important issue discussed by the European Parliament last week. When the commission said that membership negotiations could start, everybody had something to say, but the words of Graham Watson from the Socialist group were the most interesting: ‘Our discussions about Turkey’s participation and our approach towards Turkey will show us the meaning of being a European in the 21st century.’ Meanwhile, Greens Group leader Daniel Cohn Bendit told conservatives, ‘You condemn Turks due to the adultery issue, but we struggled so much with you on this issue. You spoke with us to make sure the adultery clause was not removed. If the adultery issue wasn’t in the final penal code, it’s because of progressives like us.’ We’re at the beginning of an exciting adventure with Europe. We’ll change, and will change others in turn.