Turkey's Challenge (how to become a member of EU)

[Dover]

Turkey's challenge


The vote by Turkey's Parliament last week to curb the political power of the military and increase freedom of expression is a significant step away from army domination of Turkish politics.


The vote by Turkey's Parliament last week to curb the political power of the military and increase freedom of expression is a significant step away from army domination of Turkish politics. The challenge now for the government, led by the moderate Islamists of the Justice and Development Party, is to ensure that the new measures are carried out.

Not long ago, Turkey's military would have responded to such a vote by seizing power - the armed forces removed four governments in the last four decades. That is less likely today because of broad support in Turkey for democratic rule, but these reforms present a clear test of just how much the climate has changed. Military leaders should step back and let the nation continue along the path to deeper democracy and European Union membership.

The measures approved Wednesday take aim at the core of the military's political influence, the National Security Council, which is composed of military leaders and senior politicians. The council's executive powers will be abolished, relegating it to an advisory role, and the council's secretary general, whose power in the past has rivaled that of the prime minister, need no longer be a four-star general. The military budget, formerly secret, will be put under the scrutiny of Parliament. Some legislation restricting freedom of expression and assembly will be repealed....MORE >

http://www.iht.com/articles/105113.html
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[comradebillyboy]

1. turkey is making good progress

and i certainly hope they are accepted into the eu. the turks are in a position to be the model of a modern secular and democratic state that is inhabited by mostly moslems.

we had a turkish exchane student for a year and she showed a side of turkey that we dont see in the west.

[comradebillyboy]

2. turkey is making good progress

and i certainly hope they are accepted into the eu. the turks are in a position to be the model of a modern secular and democratic state that is inhabited by mostly moslems.

we had a turkish exchane student for a year and she showed a side of turkey that we dont see in the west.

[edward]

3. Turkey still refuses to admit genocide of Armenians.

Barbarians. A side the "West" still sees.