Might Turkish scepticism amongst the general population about joining the EU become even greater now, seeing as a few EU members are struggling to recover from the financial crisis? (I wouldn’t go as far as to describe the EU recovery as depicted in the ‘toon though). This scepticism was already a majority viewpoint a couple of years ago. Favourable Turkish public opinions about the EU in percentage are still in the mid 40s.
Turkey’s economy seems to be recovering despite being hit hard, so I also wonder if there is a little Turkish schadenfreude about Greece’s predicament.
I think the Turkish sceptcism about the EU has relatively little to do with the economy and much more with the way Turkey has been treated. However, it goes both ways to a degree. For me, the most absurd aspect of it all is the Cyprus case. Turkey insists on recognizing their satellite republic in Cyprus, and not recognizing the government of the other part of the island.
Said government is a member state of the EU. The idea that Turkey joins an international organization - which, among other things, includes a free market - with a member it does not recognize as an independent state is a mind-boggling.
4uk4ata : You’re probably right, their sceptism is more emotional, likely a reaction to the observed opposition of many EU citizens to their entry into the EU, also emotional (I’ll accept possibly bigoted).
The pragmatic, and I count myself amongst them, in Turkey & the EU see its entry as inevitable and positive. The current economic difficulties seem to be serving sceptics in both Turkey & EU.
The how & when are hampered by certain things such as what you mentioned about Cyprus, as well as Islamophobia.
SrB: Ol’ Joe wasn’t a vey Turkish name, was it? Oh, and did you you ever wonder, like me, why pyramids & palm trees were in the backdrop but it mentions “Turkish & American blend” on the pack?
OmqR-IV.0 over 14 years ago
Might Turkish scepticism amongst the general population about joining the EU become even greater now, seeing as a few EU members are struggling to recover from the financial crisis? (I wouldn’t go as far as to describe the EU recovery as depicted in the ‘toon though). This scepticism was already a majority viewpoint a couple of years ago. Favourable Turkish public opinions about the EU in percentage are still in the mid 40s. Turkey’s economy seems to be recovering despite being hit hard, so I also wonder if there is a little Turkish schadenfreude about Greece’s predicament.
4uk4ata over 14 years ago
I think the Turkish sceptcism about the EU has relatively little to do with the economy and much more with the way Turkey has been treated. However, it goes both ways to a degree. For me, the most absurd aspect of it all is the Cyprus case. Turkey insists on recognizing their satellite republic in Cyprus, and not recognizing the government of the other part of the island.
Said government is a member state of the EU. The idea that Turkey joins an international organization - which, among other things, includes a free market - with a member it does not recognize as an independent state is a mind-boggling.
OmqR-IV.0 over 14 years ago
4uk4ata : You’re probably right, their sceptism is more emotional, likely a reaction to the observed opposition of many EU citizens to their entry into the EU, also emotional (I’ll accept possibly bigoted). The pragmatic, and I count myself amongst them, in Turkey & the EU see its entry as inevitable and positive. The current economic difficulties seem to be serving sceptics in both Turkey & EU. The how & when are hampered by certain things such as what you mentioned about Cyprus, as well as Islamophobia.
SrB: Ol’ Joe wasn’t a vey Turkish name, was it? Oh, and did you you ever wonder, like me, why pyramids & palm trees were in the backdrop but it mentions “Turkish & American blend” on the pack?
HUMPHRIES over 14 years ago
Such enlightenment here, and I thought my knowledge of Turkey was limited.