ANKARA - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who also acts as leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), said on Thursday, ''if an anti secular government comes into power in Turkey following general elections on November 3, 2002, Europe's doors will be closed to Turkey. It is a serious warning to our voters.''
Together with State Minister Masum Turker for Economy, Forestry Minister Nami Cagan, DSP deputy Hikmet Ulugbay and Zekeriya Temizel, Prime Minister Ecevit responded question during the Ankara Chamber of Industry Executive Board meeting.
''Our parliament achieved a great success during the last days of the legislative year. All necessary opportunities have been provided to reach the European Union (EU) full membership. When we announced these reforms, the EU members were bewildered first. They did not expect us to make these reforms in such a short period of time. Even those who did not want to see Turkey in the EU, appreciated. However, they picked up themselves later, and started to think how they can find something negative about Turkey. We saw results of their attitude in the documents released by the EU Commission yesterday,'' he said.
Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''in the reports, the EU underlined importance of results of the general elections on November 3 before taking a decision about Turkey's full membership. It means that the EU would take a decision about Turkey's future upon results of the general elections. If an anti secular government comes into power in Turkey following general elections on November 3, 2002, Europe's doors will be closed to Turkey. It is a serious warning to our voters.''