Bolkestein: EU faces implosion risk over Turkey
Europe could meet the same fate as the Austro-Hungarian Empire if
Turkey joins the EU, a senior European commissioner has
warned.
EU internal market chief Frits Bolkestein has sparked controversy
with a Monday speech sounding a strong note of caution over
Ankaras bid to join Europes exclusive club.
His intervention will fan the flames of debate ahead of an October
6 Brussels report on Turkeys suitability to be part of the
EU.
Opponents to Turkish EU membership with strong voices in Germany
and France are concerned that Turkeys large population and
Islamic culture could transform the face of Europe a view
Bolkestein appears to share.
It is obvious that Turkey must still go through large changes,
until it is eligible. Up to the entry their identity will have
itself to change fundamentally, he said.
But with the entry of a country with today 68 million inhabitants
- and perhaps 83 million inhabitants in the year 2010 the EU will
also strongly change.
After the entry of Turkey the EU cannot continue its previous
agrarian and regional policy simply as it had. Europe would
implode.
Too many Turks
Right-wingers and Christian Democrats in France and Germany are
opposed to Turkeys membership on 'cultural' grounds arguing that
the entry into the EU of almost 70 million Muslims will change
Europe forever.
Many EU officials believe that Ankaras accession process could
take up to ten years 2014 or later by which time Turkeys
population could be as large as Germany.
Under the EUs new constitution voting rights are closely tied to
population size, opening up the possibility of Turkey altering
Europes balance of power in an unprecedented way.
Berlin with 82m citizens is the EU heavy hitter in decision-making
EU councils of ministers, and France is in second place with a
population of 60.4m.
Turkey, if it joined the EU now, would immediately become a major
player pushing France into third and the UK into fourth
ranking.
Battle of Vienna
Comparisons made by Bolkestein to the collapse of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire and the 1683 Battle of Vienna will turn the
heat up on commission and EU discussions on Turkey.
The American Islam expert Bernard Lewis has said that Europe will
be Islamic at the end of this century, he said.
I do not know if this is right, or whether it will be at that
speed, but if he is right, the liberation of Vienna in 1683 would
have been in vain.
The Dutch commissioners lurid imagery the collapse of an empire
that triggered WW1 and the decisive 17th century battle between
Christians and Muslims in religious wars for the heart of Europe
has been played down by his spokesman.
He says that in common with other enlargements Europe must be well
prepared, he said.
The comparison with the Austro-Hungarian Empire was that empire
was created in a piecemeal manner, ad hoc. It was not properly
prepared. The problem which the empire encountered, an implosion,
was caused by lack of prior preparation, he said.
If [Bernard Lewiss prediction] were to happen it would be a
neutralisation of what happened in 1683.
The commission's official spokesman has distanced the rest of the
EU executive from Bolkestein's "own view".
"The position of the commission will be seen, read and hopefully
understood this October," he said.
"I choose to take [Bolkestein's speech] in the context of liberty
and freedom of expression."
========================================================
The entry of Turkey achieve either of two things.One, it will show
the world that the European Union is not a Christian council of
power.Two, it could remake Europe's social, economic and ethnic
fabric quite significantly that a Europe a few decades down the
line might turn quite divers and peaceful, or fragmented and in
danger of civil war within the Union.Turkey may have in her hands
the ability to impsoe a paradigm shift in the thoughts and
attitudes of Europeans everywhere,How she uses it is going to be
very interesting to watch.