SE European media roundup on EU-related issues 26 May-1 Jun 05
BBC Monitoring Service – United Kingdom
Jun 02, 2005
For queries and feedback please contact Duty Editor, Europe, on 0186254
(internal) or 0118 948 6254 (external), or email [email protected]
The following is a roundup of media reports on EU-related issues from
the applicant countries in Southeastern Europe between 26 May and 1
Jun 2005:
BULGARIA
France/EU Constitution
Foreign Minister Solomon Pasi said that although the referendum in
France had no direct connection to Bulgaria’s accession to the EU,
it would indirectly, “strengthen the Eurosceptic sentiments in Europe”.
(Darik Radio, Sofia, in Bulgarian 1500 gmt 30 May 05)
EU entry/ties with Estonia
President Georgi Purvanov said he expected Estonia to fight to
keep the rules for the EU candidates unchanged because there were
voices calling for change in the conditions with respect to Bulgaria
and Romania. Purvanov said that he expected expert assistance from
Estonia, especially in the field of environmental protection, where
the Estonians had great experience, and the EU was being exacting on
this issue.
(BGNES web site, Sofia, in Bulgarian 1053 gmt 26 May 05)
EU/Libya/nurses
Foreign Minister Solomon Pasi said that the future of relations
between the European Union and Libya in the framework of the Barcelona
Process would depend on the resolution of some outstanding problems,
including the problem of the Bulgarian nurses in Tripoli. He also said
that the issue of Bulgarian medics in Libya should not be politicized.
(BTA website, Sofia, in English 30 May 05)
EU/refugees
The government approved a National Programme on Integration of Refugees
in Bulgaria for the 2005-2007. The Refugee Agency with the Council of
Ministers is applying for the funding of a project on the establishment
of a refugee finger print system under PHARE. The programme focuses
on the measures for integration, accommodation, professional training,
education, healthcare and social assistance of refugees.
(BTA web site, Sofia, in English 26 May 05)
CROATIA
Croatia/poll
Those in favour of and those against Croatia’s entry into the EU have
for months been neck and neck. According to the latest opinion poll
of 1,000 people conducted by Puls agency, if a referendum were to be
held today it would be unsuccessful, because only 45 per cent support
EU entry.
Almost three quarters of the respondents believe that the country
is moving in the wrong direction, which is the largest number of
dissatisfied people so far. Only 14 per cent of those polled believe
that the country is moving in the right direction.
Actions by Prime Minister Ivo Sanader’s cabinet are not supported by
58 per cent of those polled, while 22 per cent of them support them.
(HRT1 TV, Zagreb, in Croatian 1730 gmt 31 May 05)
Croatia/French referendum
Commenting on the French rejection of the EU Constitutional Treaty,
Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has said that such an outcome can neither
jeopardize the idea of European integration nor have negative
consequences for Croatia’s status.
“Here in Croatia we will also have to see what consequences this will
have for us. I certainly hope that Europe, or rather the EU, will not
become exasperated by the enlargement process. Croatia is a candidate
country and we expect the talks on EU entry to start soon. Therefore
I expect, and will request that the result of the French referendum
will have no negative effect on Croatia’s association with the Union,”
Sanader said.
(Croatian Radio, Zagreb, in Croatian 1300 gmt 30 May 05)
MACEDONIA
Macedonia/EU/French referendum
Macedonian Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski has said that France’s
rejection of the European Constitution would not have negative
repercussions on Skopje’s bid to join the EU.
“I do not think that it will reflect negatively on Macedonia’s
aspirations to be a part of the European family by the end of this
decade. On the contrary, it will initiate new, more dramatic reforms
within the EU. We should not be worried, the EU should be worried,”
he said.
Meanwhile in Zagreb, Macedonian and Croatian Presidents Branko
Crvenkovski and Stipe Mesic respectively, who met on 1 June, said
that France’s No to the European Constitution was not expected to
stop their two countries on the path to the EU.
“France’s rejection of the European Constitution must not stop reforms
in our countries and the fulfilment of standards. We must do those
things that are up to us,” Crvenkovski said after his talks with Mesic.
(MIA news agency, Skopje, in English 1330 gmt 25 May 05; HINA news
agency, Zagreb, in English 1412 gmt 1 Jun 05)
Macedonia/EU/name dispute
The dispute over Macedonia’s official name between Skopje and Athens
cannot be part of the political criteria for Macedonia’s EU membership,
although it could have a negative impact on its road to Brussels,
Deputy Prime Minister Radmila Sekerinska has said. With the signing
of the Interim Accord, Greece has committed itself not to block
Macedonia’s integration in European institutions, but this kind of
behaviour on the part of Greece – linkage between EU candidacy and
the resolution of the name dispute – could constitute a violation of
the accord’s decree, she said.
Sekerinska said that, nevertheless, Macedonia should not compromises,
adding that she was convinced it would receive a positive avis from
the European Commission.
(MIA news agency, Skopje, in English 1113 gmt 30 May 05)
Macedonia/NATO/talks
Macedonia is becoming a serious candidate for the next NATO
enlargement, Foreign and Defence Ministers Ilinka Mitreva and Jovan
Manasievski respectively said after meeting the North Atlantic
Partnership Council in Brussels on 27 May. The meeting with NATO
ambassadors focused on a report on Macedonia’s progress in implementing
the action plan for NATO membership.
All reform processes were reviewed at the meeting, including the
legislation on combating corruption and organized crime, implementation
of the Framework Agreement, and the economic situation. The NATO envoys
are said to have highly appreciated the progress Macedonia was making
in defence reforms, especially the transformation of the armed forces.
(MIA news agency, Skopje, in English 1429 gmt 27 May 05)
Macedonia/Pope/regional ties
Pope Benedict XVI has said that Macedonia’s pledge for peace can
serve as an example to other Balkan nations, as cultural differences
are often a source of misunderstanding among peoples and a reason for
senseless wars. The Pope said this in a message to the new Macedonian
ambassador to the Holy See, Bartolomej Kajtazi, who handed his
credentials on 27 May.
He said that Europe needed the Balkan peoples and that European
integration would lose its sense if it referred to economic and
geographical borders.
(MIA news agency, Skopje, in English 1509 gmt 27 May 05)
Macedonia/community rights
The Macedonian government adopted on 26 May a draft law on the use
of community flags, by which the flags of ethnic communities that
represent the majority in a municipality would be used alongside
the Macedonian flag. The Albanian community is in the majority in 16
municipalities, the Turkish in two, and the Roma in one.
(MIA news agency, Skopje, in English 1347 gmt 27 May 05)
ROMANIA
French EU vote
President Traian Basescu said that the rejection of the European
Constitution in France did not affect Romania’s EU entry on 1
January 2007 because Bucharest had signed a treaty containing precise
stipulations.
Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu said, however, that although
the French vote did not have juridical consequences on Romania’s EU
entry, it still created additional obligations, and therefore the
integration process would become more difficult.
(Radio Romania Actualitati, Bucharest, in Romanian 1300 gmt 30 May 05)
Foreign Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu said that the French vote in
the referendum on the European Constitution would not affect Romania’s
EU entry.
“We say clearly that the European Union is facing no blockage. Its
institutions remain intact. The decisions are made based on the
Nice Treaty, which today is in effect. We emphasize that there is no
connection between the vote of the French citizens on the European
Constitution and the continuation of the EU enlargement with the
admission of Romania and Bulgaria,” he said.
Ungureanu said, however, that the French electorate’s opinion would
exert a certain influence on the climate of intra-EU negotiations
and on the political projects currently under debate.
(Radio Romania Actualitati, Bucharest, in Romanian 1300 gmt 30 May 05)
Romanian President Traian Basescu said the French vote on the EU
Constitution must be seen in a detached manner. He said this would
have an influence from the perspective of the political evolution
in the European area. “Europe does not come to an end because of the
French negative vote in the referendum, even if it will have a great
influence upon the constitution,” he said.
(Rompres web site, Bucharest, in English 0955 gmt 30 May 05)
EU entry/early elections
Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said that early elections were
not ruled out but the problem was when to call them so as not to
hinder Romania’s accession to the European Union. “Given that late
this October the European Commission will issue a monitoring report
on Romania’s progress, I would rather we concentrated on this very
serious scrutiny, which Romania has to pass, and tackle the snap
elections afterwards,” he said .
(Rompres news agency, Bucharest, in English 0626 gmt 31 May 05)
Survey/”Euroscepticism”
According to an opinion poll, Romanians’ confidence in the European
Union has decreased drastically in the past six months. In autumn last
year, 74 per cent of the population said they trusted the European
Union (in a different, Eurobarometer poll – editor’s note). Now the
figure has fallen by almost 25 per cent, down to 48 per cent. According
to sociologists, the most pessimistic Romanians are those living in
rural areas, who do not know even the minimum of things about the
European Union. The sociologists blame the media for presenting the
negative impact of Romania’s EU entry on our farming.
(Evenimentul Zilei website, Bucharest, in Romanian 31 May 05)
EU talks/border control
Minister of Administration and the Interior Vasile Blaga said that
the contract aimed at making Romania’s borders safer, that the former
government and the French-German EADS concern concluded, would be
renegotiated. Blaga expects 420m euro to be saved. The agreement
with EADS worth 650m euro will be renegotiated at the request of the
European Commission. If Romania had run the initially signed contract
it would not have been allowed access to the EU non-repayable funds.
Blaga said EADS company responded favourably to the request to have
the contract re-discussed, and the Romanian authorities are ready to
start the negotiations next week.
On the other hand, an investigation will start at the Interior
Ministry’s level to find the way the first payments in EADS contract
were made, the minister announced.
Romania, after Finland, will have the longer external border with the
EU and must make its borders with Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova,
the Black Sea and Serbia safer.
(Rompres web site, Bucharest, in English 1620 gmt 26 May 05)
TURKEY
French EU vote/ reactions
Turkish Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party leader
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the result of referendum on the EU
Constitution in France would not hamper Turkey’s EU bid. “…We
continue fulfilling the necessary conditions of the negotiation
process upon the decision on 17 December. We expect to start membership
negotiations on 3 October. The timetable and road map of Turkey are
certain,” he said.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 0943 gmt 31 May 05)
Government spokesman and Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that
the result of referendum in France on the EU Constitution was not a
pre-condition for Turkey’s negotiation with the EU on 3 October.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 1921 gmt 30 May 05)
Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said that the ministry believed
that the EU would be overcome problems and ratify the EU constitution
“with common sense”. Tan said that Turkey’s membership bid was
used as a tool of internal politics by several circles during the
referendum campaign and added that Turkey had increased the level of
its preparations for full membership negotiations to be launched on
3 October.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 1057 gmt 30 May 05)
Prime Minister Erdogan said that it was “ugly and wrong” to use Turkey
in some countries’ domestic policies. “When some circles frequently
bring up the topic of Turkey, we get upset and concerned,” he said.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 0715 gmt 27 May 05)
EU talks/”privileged membership” issue
When asked if Turkey has been offered privileged partnership instead
of full EU membership, Prime Minister Erdogan replied: “That matter
is history. All such offers are in the past. There is no such offer
in our agenda.”
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 0715 gmt 27 May 05)
Republican People’s Party leader Deniz Baykal said that Turkey should
insist on full EU membership without taking into consideration other
alternatives such as “special status”.
“The thing that matters for us is Turkey’s decisiveness in its
EU bid. We should insist on Turkey’s full membership to the EU by
defending our acquired rights and we shouldn’t take into consideration
other alternatives like special status,” Baykal said.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 1322 gmt 31 May 05)
EU talks/penal code
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that President Ahmet Necdet
Sezer’s veto on Turkish Penal Code did not affect Turkey’s EU
process. “We have adopted all laws and Penal Code… It will come
into effect on 1 June. Issues which concern the EU and laws about
political criteria were all changed. Thus, we have fulfilled all of
our responsibilities. We will now implement them. We will carefully
follow the implementations,” he said.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 1559 gmt 31 May 05)
EU talks/Cyprus/customs union
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that the protocol extending Turkey’s
customs union with the EU to cover the new members, including Cyprus
could be signed within a few weeks. “I don’t know how long it will
last, one or two weeks,” said Gul. When asked if the protocol would
be signed during the acting presidency of Luxembourg, Gul said that
it didn’t matter for Turkey and it depended on the EU.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 1424 gmt 31 May 05)
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Greek Cypriots had
not done their part in seeking a solution to the Cyprus issue and
that that was the main reason why there was no solution. “The Greek
Cypriot administration has not fulfilled its task. If Cyprus problem
has not been solved, the Greek Cypriot side is the number one reason
of this insolubility.” he said.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 0715 gmt 27 May 05)
EU/IMF/new chief negotiator
The newly appointed chief EU negotiator, Ali Babacan, said that as
of this year, the relations with the IMF would gradually decrease
and disappear and they would be replaced by the EU. Babacan noted
that the negotiation process to begin with the EU on 3 October would
focus on economic issues. Babacan remarked that structural reforms
and transformations along the EU axis would increasingly replace the
IMF. He also said that the Turkish economy would advance alongside the
negotiation process and those who expected delays in the negotiation
process would be disappointed.
(NTV television, Istanbul, in Turkish 0600 gmt 28 May 05)
EU talks/UK support
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw called Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul to assure him that negotiations between Turkey and the EU would
start on 3 October. According to diplomatic sources, Straw told Gul
that they did not agree with arguments in France over Turkey’s EU
membership. Gul said that Turkey would continue preparations for
negotiations with the EU on the basis of the Nice Treaty.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 1302 gmt 30 May 05)
EU talks/Italian support
Italian embassy officials in Ankara said the result of the referendum
on EU Constitution should neither affect Turkey’s bid to join the
EU nor the European Council’s decision in Brussels on beginning of
entry talks between Turkey and the EU.
Sources said that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had
earlier reiterated that Italy’s support for Turkey’s EU membership
would continue.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 1003 gmt 30 May 05)
Armenian conference issue
Commenting on the EU’s reactions to postponement of the conference
entitled, “Ottoman Armenians in the Era of Collapse of the Empire:
Scientific Responsibility and Democracy Problems” to be held by
Istanbul’s Bogazici University, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said that the issue was beyond his area of interest. “I have nothing
to do with it. I am not a person who has problem with such issues. My
problem is that I think if those who have to guard the values of this
country evaluates the issue with subjective comments without taking
into all these documents on scientific grounds, it will be disrespect
to the past of our country and nation,” he said. Erdogan said that
Turkish state opened its all documents and archives on this matter,
stating that people should study these archives and then they should
held such seminars or symposiums.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 0715 gmt 27 May 05)
EU talks/human rights issue
Turkey cancelled “The Torture and Maltreatment Seminar for Medical
Doctors and Judicial Personnel” that was organized with the
cooperation of the Justice Ministry, the European Commission, and
the Nongovernmental Organizations. Representatives of the Turkish
Medical Doctors Union, the London-based Medical Foundation for the
Care of Victims of Torture [name of organization in English], the
Forensic Medicine Experts Association, and the Turkish Human Rights
Foundation – organizations were kept waiting for some time without
receiving any clear information. Sherman Carroll, director of the
Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture said that that
it was revealed that the meeting had been cancelled due to certain
organizational problems but the participants had not been briefed
directly by the ministry on this issue.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in Turkish 1413 gmt 25 May 05)
EU talks/relations with USA
US Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman said during his farewell
meeting with Turkish foreign minister that Turkey’s EU membership
was a strategic aim for Turkey and also an important aim for the
USA. Edelman said US support to Turkey’s EU bid would continue. Edelman
also welcomed appointment of State Minister Ali Babacan as chief
negotiator for Turkey-EU entry talks.
(Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 1449 gmt 26 May 05)