Welcome to The Flemish Republic
Why the Belgian federation should be dissolved and Flanders should become an independent state. |
|
 News
Turkey in the EU: A Bridge Too Far
12/01/2008 :: Does it serve the interests of the Western world if the largest member state of the European Union becomes an Islamic country? Philip Claeys and Koen Dillen, two VB members of the European Parliament, oppose Turkish EU membership. They have written a book to argue the case against it.
Claeys’ and Dillen’s book, “A Bridge Too Far: Turkey in the European Union,” was published in Dutch four years ago. An updated version has now been translated into English. It was presented in Washington DC on 22 November.
Four years ago, Brussels and Ankara started negotiations which should lead to Turkey becoming an EU member. Geographically, however, Turkey is not a European state. Culturally, it is not European either. Turkey is an Islamic state and a prominent member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. Its attitude to human rights and democracy is also problematic.
Far-reaching consequences
Some people in Washington seem to believe that Turkish EU membership will turn the country into a perfect democratic state and an example to other Muslim nations, thereby proving that Islam and democracy can be reconciled. But what if they are wrong? And what about European values?
The institutional and economic consequences of Turkey’s admission will also be far-reaching. If Turkey joins the EU, an additional 80 million Muslims become EU citizens. As an EU member, Turkey will have the highest number of representatives in the European Parliament. In the European Council it will be on a par with the present Big Ones. Its foreign interests will dominate Europe’s.
Impoverishment
Moreover, raising Turkey to a European standard of living will require enormous and sustained efforts of wealth redistribution from the European taxpayers, which will impoverish Europe without a guarantee of success in Turkey. On the contrary, the EU subsidies are likely to corrupt the Turkish establishment even further.
Claeys’ and Dillen’s book explains why Turkish admission to the EU would be bad for Europe, bad for Turkey and bad for the world. “A Bridge Too Far: Turkey in the European Union” costs US $15.95, £ 10.50 or € 12.50. The book can be ordered at Amazon.com.
Previous page
|
|
|
