EU's Lagendijk: "The AKP is the only party working for Turkey's EU membership"

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is the only Turkish political party actively seeking Turkey's EU membership, said visiting Turkey-European Union Joint Parliamentary Commission head Joost Lagendijk yesterday. Although the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) also claim to also support Turkey's EU bid, they do nothing to promote it, and actually do all they can to oppose it, Lagendijk told reporters. He stated that the CHP has failed to act in the areas of minority rights, the foundations law, Kurdish issue and religious freedom, although it should have. The commissioner added that he couldn't understand why labor unions weren't allowed to celebrate May 1 last week at Istanbul's Taksim Square.