Azernews.Az

By Gunay Hasanova

The issue on the accession of Turkey to the European Union becomes more controversial day by day. Turkey keeps firm its ground calling on the EU to make it clear whether they intend to move the accession process to another phase or not.

Ankara will wait for the outcome of the negotiations on Turkey’s accession to the EU until the end of the year. Otherwise, Turkey will put this issue to a popular vote, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently.

The referendum on Turkey’s accession to the EU will be held in 2017, according to Erdogan.

Earlier, Erdogan said that the European Union is trying to compel Turkey to withdraw from this (accession) process, adding that “if they don't want us they should be clear about this, they should make a decision”.

Ankara's bid to join the EU dates back to the 1960s with formal talks starting in 2005. But the process has been mired in problems, which current tensions have done nothing to help.

Istanbul is a great European city that lies at the economic and cultural heart of Turkey. The country is an invaluable bridge between Europe and Asia. As a member, it would reinvigorate Europe’s relations with fast evolving regions like the energy-rich Caucasus and Central Asia, to the new Middle East emerging from the Arab Spring. Turkey’s unique geostrategic position, plus the strength of NATO’s second-largest army would greatly add to European security.

However, only few European governments are in favor, arguing that the cultural, geopolitical and economic differences are too significant, although the Turkish economy is thriving. Its GDP growth average for 2015 was around 3.5 percent and it weathered the global financial downturn much better than most EU nations. Its public finances are the envy of Southern Europe. Per capita income has increased six-fold and the average Turk is now better off than his or her Romanian and Bulgarian counterparts in the EU.

Moreover, Turkey’s accession to the European Union would contribute only positively to the solution of migration crisis.

What's more, only 200 Syrians have so far been resettled from Turkish refugee camps to Europe, far fewer than envisioned by Turkey, which is currently home to more than three million displaced people.

In addition, allowing Turkey to join would provide a fresh influx of workers for Europe. The country has a young and increasingly well-educated population and some argue the aging EU cannot afford to block them from its workforce.

But at a time when many governments are under increasing pressure to reduce high levels of immigration, allowing millions of more workers to cross their borders is not expected to be high on their agenda.

Turkey has a long waited for its EU membership, while each application to accede to the European Union was frustrating for the government. Turkey, holding a status of an associate member at the Economic Community -- the predecessor of the EU since 1963 -- made an official application for entry on April 14, 1987.

The European Commission has proposed in May that the European Parliament and EU Council will lift visa restrictions for citizens of Turkey if Ankara fulfills the remaining conditions for abolishing visa entries until the end of June.

The list of pre-conditions included measures to prevent corruption, negotiations on an operational agreement with Europol (the EU police office), providing judicial cooperation with all EU member states, as well as the revision of the legislation on the fight against terrorism.

However, since the July 15 coup attempt, relations between Ankara and Brussels have fallen to a low as Turkish politicians lament the EU’s muted response to the attempted takeover and EU leaders criticize Turkey over widespread arrests and job suspensions in its wake.

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Gunay Hasanova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @gunhasanova

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