(Adds comments by Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando)
Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando’s statements on Turkey not being culturally European are “childish and foolish”, according to Turkey’s chief EU negotiator.
Dr Pullicino Orlando was quick to reply on his Facebook site this morning saying "If I'm 'childish and foolish', I'm in good company".
He said that the European People's Party, Angela Merkel and 70 per cent of German citizens, Nicolas Sarkozy and 75 per cent of French citizens were also against Turkey being accepted as a member of the EU for the same reasons he put forward.
Dr Pullicino Orlando said that Turkey's chief EU negotiator had an uphill battle due to his country's abysmal human rights record, notwithstanding the fact it had been a member of the Council of Europe since 1949.
"I wouldn't waste my time on puerile name-calling if I were in his position," Dr Pullicino Orlando said.
Once a country fulfils all criteria, there should be no reason for not being accepted
In Malta for a two-day visit last week, European Affairs Minister and chief negotiator Egemen Bagis told The Sunday Times (see interview on opposite page) Turkey was trying to join the EU and “not a union of Christians”.
“If this gentleman thinks Malta is a member of a Christian club he is wrong. There are tens of millions of Muslims living in EU member states, including Malta,” Mr Bagis said.
The PN backbencher posted the incendiary remarks on his Facebook wall the same day Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Foreign Minister Tonio Borg met Mr Bagis and pledged Malta’s support for Turkey’s EU accession bid.
Dr Pullicino Orlando said he opposed Turkey’s EU membership and insisted the government did not have a mandate.
While staying aloof from the political controversy, Martin Bugelli, who heads the European Commission representation in Malta, said Turkey was officially a candidate country with which accession negotiations were ongoing.
The decision to start formal negotiations with Turkey was taken in December 2004 by the Council of Ministers, he added.
“This means all the member states agreed the negotiations with Turkey could start, including Malta.”
Mr Bugelli said member states would decide on whether Turkey joins the EU when negotiations end.
Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has adopted a bi-partisan approach to the Turkish issue, according to its chairman Francis Zammit Dimech. This position was reaffirmed during a meeting with Mr Begis. “Jeffrey (Pullicino Orlando) is entitled to his opinion but the Foreign Affairs Committee has adopted a bi-partisan position in favour of Turkey’s accession provided it satisfies all EU accession criteria at the end of the negotiating process,” Dr Zammit Dimech said.
He insisted the Maltese Parliament would have the final say because any treaty changes to allow Turkey to join would have to be approved by national parliaments.
“In that case Parliament will debate and vote on Turkey’s accession.”
French president Nicolas Sarkozy opposes Turkey’s bid for cultural reasons while Greece and Cyprus are against because of Turkey’s occupation of the northern half of Cyprus.
On his Facebook wall Dr Pullicino Orlando insisted that even the PN’s European political grouping, the European People’s Party, was against Turkey’s accession.
The MP based his conclusion on “a discourse analysis” study of the views presented in the European Parliament. The MP though failed to mention that despite the opposition of some high profile politicians within the EPP to Turkey’s accession in 2005, its current ruling moderate Islamist party, the Justice and Development Party, was admitted as an observer member.
On Friday a Foreign Ministry spokesman pointed out that Turkey had been accepted as an EU candidate country in 2004, with accession negotiations beginning the following year.
“There are 35 chapters to be fulfilled out of which 13 have been opened, eight frozen, five blocked and one chapter is provisionally closed. Once a country fulfils all criteria, there should be no reason for not being accepted,” the spokesman said.
Labour Party foreign affairs spokesman George Vella had spoken along similar lines. “Turkey was accepted as an EU candidate country in 2004, something you cannot simply withdraw. If it undergoes EU scrutiny and satisfies EU accession criteria, there are no grounds for denying it membership.”
See also interview with Egemen Bagis:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120415/interview/-Turkey-s-human-rights-record-is-better-than-some-in-the-EU-.415454