Sunday Times: Confident Turks go cold on ailing European Union
YAYINLAMA
GÜNCELLEME
An article entitled "Confident Turks go cold on ailing European Union" which was published on the British daily Sunday Times yesterday writes that Turkey was once keen to join the EU, but now edging away from the EU in order to become an emergent regional power. "Supported by Britain, Turkey's long-standing application for EU membership has long been disdained by France, whose leaders argued that the country of 79m people at the crossroads of Europe and Asia was too big, poor and Muslim to be let in. The tables have now turned to such an extent that some wonder whether the EU needs Turkey more than Turkey needs the EU. With a growth rate to rival China's and the strongest leader since Ataturk, the father of the modern Turkish state, Turkey is observing the European shipwreck from the safety of dry land and wondering whether it should walk away." the article writes, adding that the EU has been lecturing Turkey for many years about the changes it must make to take its place in the civilized world, but now Turkish officials are giving lessons to Europe. "Far from Turkey dragging down Europe, the worry in Istanbul is about its economy being infected by the European malaise," the article writes.