Erkan's field diary

Finland continues to back Turkey as future EU member - Europe
Authorities urged to amend restrictive laws after YouTube blocked for third time in two months : print
Turkey's Babacan says no slowdown in EU reform efforts (SETimes.com)

A Party For Average Turks?

BY TAHA AKYOL

MILLIYET- Discussing European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn`s term `democratic secularism,` Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called his Justice and Development Party (AKP) the party of `average Turks.`"

The unbearable lightenss of ‘strategic relations’

We are lucky. Well, relatively speaking. If Google had a map that could help us detect and distinguish the nuances in the nature of rule in this ever-troubled geography of ours, everyone would agree that Turkey, by the nature of its democracy, is far closer to Europe than otherwise.

Would the EU really suspend negotiations with Turkey?

Over the years Turkey's relationship with the EU has become something of a soap opera -- a lot of drama and many cliffhangers. Another drama is presently unfolding with both the nation and the EU waiting in suspense for the decision of the Constitutional Court on whether or not the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) along with 71 of its members should be banned.

European spirit producers' rapporteur upset with Turkish ministers of finance and agriculture

The rapporteur of the European Alcoholic Drinks Producers Union, Nick Soper, who came to Turkey to hold talks with Finance Minister Kemal Unakıtan and Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker on

EU the real opposition in Turkey

Mehmet Ali Birand

How the CHP became an enemy of the EU

By NUH GÖNÜLTAŞ, BUGÜN

The very people and institutions that you would think would naturally be supporters of the European Union now spend much of their time expressing great anger toward this community of European nations.

A new world order

By ERGUN BABAHAN, SABAH

Those angered in the past by interventions in Turkey's domestic matters will once again be furious because Foreign Minister Ali Babacan has said that he brings up the legal case seeking to shut down the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in all of his foreign meetings and contacts.