Barroso: "The EU should continue fair negotiations with Turkey"

European Union Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso yesterday attended the 11th European Forum in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In a session discussing Turkey's future in the EU, Barroso said that Turkey needs both full democracy and "democratic secularism" to get into the EU. He criticized a state prosecutor's case seeking the closure of Turkey's ruling party, saying it was irregular and called into question the state's structure. Saying secularism can't be imposed by force, he added, "We're concerned about recent developments in Turkey. After visiting there, I was convinced that Turkey need to be closer to the EU and that the EU should continue fair negotiations with Turkey."