ANKARA
by Satuk Bugra Kutlugun
Turkey does not have to consult the EU everytime before it passes a law, said Turkey's EU Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu Tuesday in response to European Commissioner Stefan Fule's statement Monday in which he stressed the need for Turkey, as a candidate country, to be involved at an early stage in all EU laws.
Fule issued the written statement after meeting with Cavusoglu, EU Vice-President Catherine Ashton, Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Brussels on Monday.
The statement said: "We have underlined the need for Turkey as a candidate country in accession negotiations to engage in early consultations with the Commission on all laws related to both the accession process and the political criteria. We discussed this in particular in the light of the recent exchanges on the importance of an independent judiciary and the internet law adopted by the parliament last week."
Cavusoglu spoke to Anadolu Agency after Iran's National Day reception in Ankara on Tuesday evening. He mentioned that everyday Turkish Parliament evaluates draft laws and Turkey has introduced lots of reforms.
"There may be exchange of ideas about important laws but Turkey is an independent country after all," he said. "If we consult every draft law to European Commission, these reforms will not happen at all."
"EU indispensable for Turkey"
Meanwhile, speaking at the opening of the 'Erasmus+ Programme and Opportunities for the Business World Meeting', Cavusoglu said that Turkey may follow a multi-dimensional foreign policy, but its most important foreign and enlightenment policy is in the EU.
At the meeting in Istanbul organized by the Ministry for EU Affairs, Cavusoglu said that the EU process was stalled in recent years mainly due to the hindering attempts of some member states. Cavusoglu said that the process gained ground again with several positive steps taken in 2013 such as France removing its veto over Chapter 22, and more recently the visits of French President Francois Hollande and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
"These are all significant and positive developments. However, it is important that they are supported by reforms," he said.
He said that Turkey is undergoing a series of major reforms, and "will make no concessions despite the upcoming local and presidential elections." He added that they also have some expectations from the EU in this regard.
"We ask our European friends not to hinder Turkey in this process," he said.
Cavusoglu also touched on the Cyprus negotiations that resumed Tuesday, stressing that this is a very important development.
"Although the Cyprus issue appears as a de facto obstacle to Turkey's EU membership, we don't want this issue to be resolved just for the sake of the EU. We want a permanent resolution and we want Cyprus to be an island of peace," he said.
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