22.03.2025 16:11
Prof. Dr. İrfan Kaya Ülger was a guest of presenter Abdurrahman Yazıcı in the Haberler.com studio. In the program, which discussed the reflections of the tension between the USA and Europe on Turkey, Prof. Dr. Ülger stated that the events have strengthened Turkey's position. He noted that a period of close cooperation with the European Union has begun for Turkey.
```html
Professor Dr. İrfan Kaya Ülger, Head of the Department of International Relations at Kocaeli University, was a guest of Abdurrahman Yazıcı in the Haberler.com studio.
We are on the verge of a period where Turkey's reputation will rise in the eyes of Europe. In the upcoming period, I expect a strong rapprochement between Turkey and European countries in the fields of security, defense, intelligence, and foreign policy. Of course, there will be reflections of this. We are also entering the twentieth year since we started negotiations with the European Union on October 3, 2005. Legally, negotiations are still ongoing, but they are practically stalled. The last negotiation chapter was opened in 2018, and of course, the reaction Turkey showed against this terrorist threat and the externally supported coup threat after July 15 was interpreted in a highly subjective manner by Europe, and it was evaluated that Turkey had moved away from the Copenhagen criteria, which I believe has affected the slowdown of the negotiations.
Host Abdurrahman Yazıcı asked his guest whether the tension in the defense field between the USA and European countries opens the way for Turkey's full membership in the European Union. Professor Dr. Ülger stated, "It can be said that it has strengthened our position. Of course, membership in the European Union is fundamentally possible as a result of a political decision. While candidate states are trying to fulfill their obligations before becoming members, the European side makes a political decision on whether this state will join or not. This decision is made by consensus. Looking at the recent period, for example, did Bulgaria and Romania become members in 2007 because they fully met the Copenhagen criteria? No. They were supported. Similarly, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which were occupied during World War II and later annexed, had taken a stance that was not at all compatible with the Copenhagen criteria after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. We know that in some countries, Russian-origin individuals were stripped of their citizenship and their rights were restricted. Even under these conditions, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania joined the European Union in 2004.
"TURKEY IS READY FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION"
There is a prejudiced view against Turkey. Cultural incompatibility is constantly being mentioned. Shortly after the negotiations began, we started to see signs of this. After the negotiations started through 35 negotiation chapters, we saw that some of them were frozen shortly after. Eight negotiation chapters were frozen by the EU Council of Ministers in 2006. Later, the French government under Sarkozy froze 5 negotiation chapters, and the Greek Cypriot Administration blocked 6 negotiation chapters. Only after Sarkozy lost power was France's obstruction lifted. As of now, the number of chapters blocked by the Council of Ministers and the Greek Cypriot Administration is 14. Legally, negotiations are ongoing. We are legally in candidate country status, but practically stalled. Turkey is significantly ready in terms of European Union obligations.
```