Most EU legislators support Turkey's membership: Report

BRUSSELS

A majority of European lawmakers are in favor Turkey’s membership in the European Union, but that the accession process is affected by socio-cultural prejudice, according a report released by released Thursday by a Brussels-based NGO.

The report, issued Young Friends of Turkey (YFoT), reveals that a research team interviewed 30 parliamentarians on national level and 27 parliamentarians on European level.

While 81 percent of the parliamentarians who were interviewed support Turkey’s accession into the EU, the reasons behind their pro-accession stance are Turkey's role as a cultural bridge between the West and the East, its economic success in the last decade and its role in the Middle East-European relations, according to the report.

However, 94 percent of the respondents also believe that there are prejudices against Turkey’s EU membership because of socio-cultural factors, and among the strongest was religion.

"That figure is extremely high and it calls for European countries to fight intolerance and pushes Turkey to improve its image abroad," Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, director of communications for YFoT, told Anadolu Agency.

"It also reminds us that the accession process of Turkey hasn’t always been fair and is often tainted by prejudice," Doveri Vesterbye said.

The report said 35 out of 53 participants expressed socio-cultural prejudice against Turkey’s accession into the EU is because of the fact that Turkey is a Muslim country.

"Europeans should address xenophobia and reduce discrimination against Turks and Muslims," Doveri Vesterbye said. "We live in the 21st century and share the same geographical area, I think it’s about time that we all erase these prejudices and start working together as a family."

Since negotiations on Turkey’s accession into the European Union began in 2005, 13 out of 35 chapters, which must be completed in order for the country to join the 28-nation bloc, have been opened. Six of the chapters, including 23 on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and 24 on Justice, Freedom and Security, are blocked by the Greek Cypriot administration.

The Cyprus issue remains a major obstacle to Turkey's EU accession process.

Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akinci and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades resumed talks on reunifying the island following Akinci’s election in April. Negotiations were resumed following a two-year hiatus in February 2013 but stalled in October last year after a row over mineral exploration around the island.

Kati Piri, Turkey rapporteur for the European Parliament, has said that a solution to the Cyprus issue would result in the opening of many chapters for Turkey’s EU accession.