IKV`S ASSESSMENT ON THE 2015 PROGRESS REPORT ON TURKEY
IKV CHAIRMAN ZEYTİNOĞLU: “THE PROGRESS REPORT PRESENTS A ROADMAP AS WELL AS WARNING AND ENCOURAGING MESSAGES TO TURKEY”
With its new methodology and format, the European Commission's 18th Progress Report on Turkey represents the first example of the Commission’s new generation of progress reports, IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu stated: “The European Commission published the first Progress Report on Turkey in 1998. The 2015 Progress Report, as the 18th Report on Turkey, has distinguishing features compared to the previous reports. It is the first time that the European Commission has prepared Progress Reports with a new format. We, as IKV, have been calling for the European Commission to change the format of Progress Reports for the last two years. In this regard, we welcome this initiative taken by the Commission.”
Underlining that the first new generation Progress Report has been prepared in a more “reader-friendly” format compared to the previous reports, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu summarised the different features of the new Report: “The language of the latest report is more clear and simple. Also the ‘Introduction’ part is more concise and prepared as an ‘Executive Summary’. In contrast to previous reports, the developments in the candidate countries on the EU accession negotiations are annexed to the report.”
IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu mentioned that the most significant change in the new generation progress reports has been with regards to the chapters of the Acquis and added: “It is evident that the Commission has used a new, precise and consistent terminology in the part entitled ‘Ability to take on the obligations of membership’. In this regard, the European Commission assesses the level of alignment and recent developments that have taken place with regard to the specific acquis chapters at the beginning of each chapter. The level of progress is categorized as ‘good progress’, ‘some progress’ and ‘no progress’ while the level of alignment to the EU acquis is summarised in five categories as ‘early stage, ‘moderately prepared’, ‘some level of preparation’, ‘good level of preparation’ and ‘well advanced’.
Underlining that the European Commission suggests a set of measures to be taken by the candidate countries for further alignment to the EU acquis with regard to each negotiation chapter, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu stated that this new initiative calls for mini-assignments by the Commission to candidate countries and added: “The European Commission gives short term to-do lists to candidate countries similar to those in the visa liberalisation roadmap. In this regard, the Commission shortly and clearly presents the necessary steps to be taken.”
IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu further highlighted the new practice with regard to the ‘Political Criteria’ which is the most debated part of the Progress Reports. Pointing the more consistent and objective assessment of the Commission on this part which, in fact, relates to the issues under the negotiation chapters as well, Zeytinoğlu stated: “In the 18th Progress Report on Turkey, the section on Political Criteria is divided in different sub-sections which consists of significant developments on areas such as the rule of law, governance, functioning of the judiciary, fight against corruption, fight against organised crime, freedom of expression and public administration reform. The detailed analysis on these issues, on the other hand, is presented within the context of specific negotiation chapters.”
Underlining that the technical aspect of the accession negotiations (i.e. ability to take on the obligations of membership and the economic criteria) has now come into prominence in comparison to the political criteria with the new methodology applied to the Political Criteria section, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu added: “The new generation of progress report presents a valuable ground for a more accurate, fair and objective assessment of the process which had been moving towards political means in the previous years.”
IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu further indicated that the economic criteria has become more apparent in the recent Progress Report and stated: “It is evident that the section on economic criteria has come to the forefront in the new generation of Progress Reports with the inclusion of updated data, tables and graphs. This situation provides a good reflection of the economic cooperation between Turkey and the EU to the Commission Progress Reports on Turkey.”
IKV CHAIRMAN ZEYTİNOĞLU: “WE FOUND THE REPORT CONSTRUCTIVE”
Welcoming the adoption of a new approach by the Commission in its 18th Turkey Progress Report, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu explained that with its new format, the report is more constructive: “Until today, the European Commission has prepared in total 17 reports in regards to Turkey. But these reports have not paved the way for Turkey’s EU membership. With these progress reports, the Commission has been seen and perceived as a constant mechanism criticizing Turkey. As a result, this had a negative impact on the already decreasing support among the public opinion in Turkey in regards to its potential EU membership. We, as IKV, have always argued that by changing the methodology used in the reports, candidate countries should be more encouraged in their path towards membership. The Commission has taken an important step in that end. We welcome the Commission’s new approach and we found this new technic to be more constructive”.
Following the Commission’s Progress Report, IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu stressed that Turkey should in return reinvigorate its EU membership process. In this respect, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu explained as follows: “Following the 1 November General Election, we have now four years ahead without elections. Next week we will welcome all together the new Parliament and the new Government. Furthermore we will also have a new Minister for EU Affairs. At this stage, the new Parliament and the new Government need to take into account the report and its critics to accelerate Turkey’s EU membership process”.
IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu expressed his hope that the government which will take office will follow up the strategy and the action plan which was adopted in 2014, and will thus give new impetus to the reform process. He further explained the following: “For these reports to reach their aim, it is also important that the European side presents the membership perspective clearly and with more conviction. Within this framework, I believe that it is essential to set a final date for Turkey’s membership and for European leaders and representatives not to give different and confusing messages in regards to Turkey’s membership”.
IKV CHAIRMAN ZEYTİNOĞLU: “THIS REPORT CONTAINS WARNING BUT ALSO ENCOURAGING MESSAGES TO TURKEY”
IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu pointed out that the report which was announced within the framework of the European Commission’s enlargement strategy until 2019 contains warning but also encouraging messages to Turkey. In regards to the content of the report, IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu made these following comments: “In general, the report stresses Turkey’s difficulties in fulfilling the political criteria. A great emphasis was given to the rule of law, separation of powers, independence of judiciary, freedom of expression and freedom of press. It is stressed that in order to become a democratic and free country, Turkey needs to make progress in these areas and to overcome these issues.”
IKV CHAIRMAN ZEYTINOĞLU: “TURKEY BACKSLIDES IN 3 AREAS”
Pointing out that in the section of the political criteria of the report, there is important indications showing that the pace of the reforms process has slowed down in Turkey, IKV Chairman stressed that there are three areas where Turkey backslid since 2014: “Regarding the fulfilment of the political criteria, it is highlighted that the reforms are slowing down and there are areas where this backslide is clearly reflected: Freedom of expression including media and freedom of internet; freedom of assembly and public procurement”. IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu explained that the Commission put also some criticisms concerning the 10% threshold, the political polarisation, the situation of fundamental rights and freedoms in the context of the fight against terrorism, the fight against corruption, the excessive power granted to security forces and the judicial system. In this respect, IKV Chairman stressed that Turkey needs to take these criticisms into account and take necessary steps to overcome these concerns.
IKV CHAIRMAN ZEYTINOĞLU: “TURKEY SHOWS A GOOD PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF ITS LEVEL OF ALIGNEMENT WITH THE EU ACQUIS”
Reminding that in addition to the section on political and economic criteria, the report contains a large section on Turkey’s level of alignment with the EU acquis, IKV Chairman explained that Turkey shows a good performance in terms of its level of alignment with the EU acquis: “According to the 2015 Turkey Progress Report prepared by the Commission, Turkey’s level of alignment in 3 chapters is considered to be well-advanced, in 8 chapters it is considered to be at good level, in 3 chapters it is considered to be moderately prepared, in 15 chapters it is considered to be at some level and in 4 chapters it is considered to be at early stage. The alignment of the chapters opened to negotiation is considered to have reached a good level of preparation whereas that of the chapters blocked only reached to some level of preparation.”
IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu explained that it could be understood by looking at the level of progress in the chapters, that over the past year, the pace of progress achieved by Turkey towards its alignment process has slowed down. In this respect, he explained the following: “Most of the chapters are labelled with ‘some progress’. This is a clear indication that the progress achieved within the framework of the negotiation process has slowed down. But this report also clearly indicates that Turkey is ready to open at least 13 more chapters to negotiations which are mostly blocked by some Member States.”