URL: Latest posts
Bizarre Haider headlines
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In a very bizarre twist, a leading Austrian politician, Stefan Petzner, has revealed a “special relationship” with the late Jorg Haider. Haider, the famous anti-immigrant far-right politician, died in a motorcycle crash earlier this month...
French Senate passes referendum law
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The French Senate has approved a measure that calls for a national referendum every time time a new country seeks to join the European Union. This bill is a revised version of the law that was rejected earlier in the year. The earlier draft was writt...
Turkey gets millions from EU
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Turkish Daily News reports that Turkey will receive 495 million Euros worth of development assistance from the European Union. While this figure may sound like a lot of money, Serbia will receive 186.7 million and Croatia will receive 138.5 million.
France and Turkey: Denying Muslim women their rights since no one can remember when!
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A brief glance at any Turkish newspaper printed in the last six or seven years shows that one of Turkey’s most pressing internal problems is the split between the country’s so-called “secularists” and so-called “Islamist...
Turkey, the EU and the Armenian Genocide
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There are many hurdles Turkey must overcome before it can think of joining the EU. One is the Armenian Genocide issue. Armenians claim that over 1 million Armenians were systemically murdered by the Ottoman military in 1915. They, along with scholars...
Turkey agrees to attend first “Mediterranean Union” meeting
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The new “Mediterranean Union” has been hyped by French President Nicholas Sarkozy since his 2007 election campaign. At the same time, the idea has been derided in Ankara and various other capitals across the EU and Muslim Mediterranean. T...
Anti-Roma racism: a source of shame for the EU and Turkey
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Any traveler in Central or Eastern Europe will likely meet or see someone of Roma (Gypsy) descent. If said traveler happens to strike up a conversation with a friendly Bulgarian, Romanian or Slovak, there is a good chance that the traveler will be wa...
Croatia stands before the EU chopping block
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The Irish No-vote will have negative ramifications for Croatia’s EU hopes. Sarkozy has said that without agreement on the Lisbon treaty, it is inconceivable that enlargement negotiations will move forward. Merkel has thrown her support behind S...
Cyprus situation getting gloomier
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The positive momentum between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots may be coming to a screeching halt (background: click here). The Turks are angry over a recent memorandum of understanding between the UK and the Republic of Cyprus. The memorandum...
Will Turkey help Europe solve its energy woes?
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The answer to the above question is, of course, yes. And what are Europe’s energy woes? Obviously, EU countries must contend with high gasoline prices, just like almost everyone else in the world. Unlike other countries, Europe must also balanc...
French Senate ends Sarkozy plan to block Turkey
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Sarkozy`s plan to end Turkey`s EU bid has officially kicked the bucket. The bill would require a national referendum on each country seeking accession to the EU whose population is greater than 5% of that of France. Of course, the bill is designed t...
Lisbon Treaty is dead after No-vote in Ireland
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Turkish Daily News reports on the ill-effects that this news could have for Turkey s EU bid. Diplomatic sources think the deadlock over the Lisbon Treaty may have a negative effect on Croatia, which is expected to join the EU at end of 2009. Since Tu...
Voting begins in Ireland on Lisbon Treaty
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European Tribune reports a high turnout in Ireland. For some background on the Lisbon Treaty, take a look at this. Here’s the breaking news from European Tribune: I will try to post more information on voting and results here as they become ava...
Turkey-EU accession negotiations move forward
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Zaman reports that the EU has agreed to open negotiations on two more chapters of the thirty-five chapter negotiation process. A committee of permanent representatives of EU countries, known as COREPER, is expected to approve the opening of the talks...
