BY GAZI ERCAL
SABAH- Following their defeat in the French and Dutch referendums on the EU’s constitutional treaty, the leaders of the bloc have been trying lately to find a scapegoat to foist off their own responsibilities. At length, they decided to make Turkey pay the bill for their defeat.
But, what’s the real reason for their failure? Because they made grave mistakes with regard to the enlargement process. Let’s take a look at some of them:
They prepared a 350-page constitution and failed to explain the motives and details of the text to their own people. 2. They held referendums although there was no alternative to the constitution. 3. They failed to make structural reforms to their own economies. 4. They failed to address the unemployment problem. 5. They failed to establish a competitive economic structure. They failed to display sound leadership.
Consequently, the constitution prepared by these EU decision-makers was tossed onto to the garbage heap. In addition, thorny problems have emerged regarding the political integration process. Now most European leaders seem to prefer giving up their enlargement aspirations over trying to sell their voters on the process. ‘Let’s stop the enlargement, don’t accept new members to the bloc and don’t spend our taxes on them,’ they say. EU leaders are trying to make the candidate countries foot the bill for their own failures.
But what will happen now? EU officials might have stumbled badly, but they are no fools. I don’t think that they will change or postpone the starting date of Turkey’s membership negotiations. They can’t risk it because such a decision would damage their credibility in the eyes of the international community. Instead, they will probably increase pressure on Ankara, particularly on sensitive issues such as Cyprus and Armenia. Their ultimate goal will probably be to deter us by trying our patience.
Under these circumstances, we must act with common sense so as not to be tricked by their ploy. We should keep patient and improve our political structure without making concessions from our national honor. We should not be incited by their provocations. These are the best things that we can do for now.