Four Differences Between The A.K.P. And The Welfare Party
BY ERGUN BABAHAN
SABAH- People who are angry with the European Union's criticisms of the closure case against the Justice and Development Party (AKP) cite the Welfare Party (RP), which was closed in 1998, as an example, stressing that the RP's closure was approved by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), and ask what's different now. Retired Ambassador Volkan Vural, who has made great efforts for Turkey's basic EU reforms, gives the best answer. In an interview with Milliyet's Devrim Sevimay, he summed up the differences as follows:
1. With the RP there was an incident close to violence, but not in this case.
2. At that time, Turkey wasn't an EU candidate country.
3. Now the AKP has the image of the only party protecting Turkey's EU project.
4. The groups opposing AKP are also against the EU, and the xenophobic and slightly militarist atmosphere during recent demonstrations to protect the republic was very disturbing.
This evaluation was made by an experienced analyst who has serious concerns about certain issues in Turkey, who for example openly says that he's extremely disturbed by the alcohol ban in certain Anatolian cities. The style he uses in telling the difference between himself and certain opinion makers who challenge the EU is also interesting: 'I had to voice my concerns, and this language has to be a democratic one, in other words, I have to settle this within the framework of democracy.' This is the basic difference between on the one hand, those who declare an implied war on the EU, and on the other, those who support this process and believe that this process will benefit Turkey.
Today, moneyed interests and some sections of the media are trying to put a distance between Turkey and the EU, and the democratic process isn't their principle concern. They don't shrink from sacrificing democracy due to their fears and concerns, and they would even support the democratic process going off the rails. But they don't say what would happen to Turkey if our EU bid endeda.
Today's operations against terrorist hideouts in northern Iraq have been greeted with understanding all over the world, because Turkey is not only continuing its armed struggle, but also trying to find a solution to this issue within the democratic system. They don't even imagine what the world's reaction would be to a Turkey whose democratic system has gone awry and which doesn't seek scholarly, cultural and economic solutions to its regional problems within this system. It's up to us. We will either accept European values and continue our struggle on this path, or say yes to becoming a third-class country.
