Forget about Sarkozy or Merkel, mind your own business

I’m sure you noticed that the most dangerous alternative for Turkey’s full membership in the EU is the privileged partnership formula.

According to it, it is suggested Turkey receives a privileged partnership status by adding some more to the present situation, instead of a full membership (i.e. participation in all decisions to be taken, representation in parliament, council and commission).

There are two supporters of this formula.

Foremost France, and even if it stays a little distanced, then Germany.

During our tour of European capitals we did not come across a serious debate regarding the privileged partnership, except in those two countries. Such tendency persists neither in the commission nor in the council. Nobody knows in detail what this attitude repeated by Sarkozy and Merkel really means. It is hollow.

In Berlin I discussed the same subject with the president of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Frank Spengler. He said, "Germany is not against Turkey’s full membership. But neither Europe nor Turkey are ready yet for a full membership. Negotiations will take some time. And to keep Turkey during this process we suggested a privileged partnership.

This is the name of the process. If by the end of negotiations a full membership will not be realized, then the privileged partnership will continue." But still I was not convinced about how the blanks in this subject would be filled.

France’s privileged partnership project is not even as full as that of Germany.

We probably did not reach any consensus with Spengler regarding the contents but our conversation signaled danger.

Turkey, instead of complaining about this privileged partnership, should roll up its sleeves and do what it is supposed to do.

Complaining and not fulfilling its obligation just does not work. If Turkey views the privileged partnership as a real danger, then it would make reforms without losing more time. Then you’ll see there won’t be any Sarkozy or Merkel objections left.

In summary, let’s stop complaining about Sarkozy and Merkel and do what we needs to be done. If we are unable to do so, then let’s sit down and negotiate with Merkel and Sarkozy.

Maybe we’ll be more beneficial.

Taraf does a different kind of journalism

The daily Taraf receives criticism from different circles for its publications and comments.

According to some their sole target is to wear down the Turkish Armed ForcesÉ According to some helping those who want to split the countryÉ According to some they are a pair of tongs used by the Gülen movementÉ

You may or may not agree with Taraf. Comments are personal evaluations of the writer and acceptable in every normal democracy. But papers live with news not with comments or commentators.

If we were to take a look at Taraf’s news, we’d notice that some false or exaggerated news have appeared. But the majority of the news made us drool and were news that required courage to publish.

Let’s not fool each other.

Taraf is the Turkish media’s courageous and different paper that provoked all of us to conduct different journalism.

Taraf is able to say openly what nobody else dares to even touch on because of habit based on accumulations and fears over the years. And since it first came out, it is a paper that needs to be read every day.

In other democratic countries there are many publications similar to Taraf but in our country we look for bad intention. Somehow we cannot accept that Taraf conducts a different type of journalism.

People, among them many democrats and even some known as liberals, question "How is this paper financed?" and wonder "Who does the paper serve?"

Isn’t it about time to view this paper as a color of the media, even if it from time to time criticizes the TSK or prime minister, and in general everybody (including me)?

It is easy to sue in court and make life miserable for Taraf or to shut it down by tiring of its employees. And this state knows that very well. But a media without Taraf, rest assured, will continue to remain without courage.

Never mind who gets upset but let Taraf continue with all it’s provocation. And let it continue with its contributions to our democracy, ideas and freedom of press.