“Turkey and the issues with the EU”

1. “Turkey and the issues with the EU” All the issues around Turkey accessing the European Union Derya Bekrem, Brian Durand, Alexander Joordens & Elja Monika. Aardrijkskunde.

2. The European Commission says Turkey must open its ports and airports to traffic from EU member Cyprus. Turkey says it will not do this until the EU takes steps to end the Turkish Cypriot community's economic isolation. The Commission also says that Turkey's efforts to bring its laws into line with European standards have slowed down. It is especially calling on Turkey to repeal a law which it says undermines freedom of speech Issues around Turkey and the EU

3. Interview questions (all the questions asked during the interview) • What are the advantages of Turkey in the European Union? • What are the disadvantages? • Are there going to be any conflicts between the European and Turkish culture when these two meet? • What sort of influence does Turkey have on the EU’s economy? • Will the prosperity of Turkey increase when it gets access to the EU? • What are the consequences for the people in the EU? • Should the human rights of Turkey correspond more to those of the EU? • Will the accession of Turkey have any benefits for the EU?Explain your answer. • Would you only let Turkey access the EU when they have a democracy? • Do you think that Turkey should do something about the poverty in their own country before they enter the EU? • Do you think, that when Turkey enters the EU, there will be more terrorism in Europe? (Explain your answer.) • Do you think Turkey should get accession to the EU? (Explain your answer)

4. The interviews (Elja and her parents) • You can easily get in and out of the country, because you don’t need a Green Card. • The mentality of Turkey (norms & values) will be a too big difference with those of the people inside the EU. • Yes, absolutely, this is going to be a huge disadvantage. This is an addition to the answer on question 2. • More trade between Turkey and the rest of the countries in the EU, no radical changes will appear though, because a lot of the clothes we wear are already produced in Turkey. • I expect so, because now the prosperity is on a low level compared to the EU’s. • If the prosperity increases, it means that prices rise because the people have more money to spend, this will be a disadvantage for the EU. • Absolutely. A number of minimum conditions must be made; otherwise they can’t have permission to enter the EU. Painting fabrics dump their toxic waste in the rivers that flow through Istanbul, and from these rivers the local villages/people drink water, think of the consequences. • I don’t know, not in the first few years I think. I think that money should be given to increase the development, because Turkey is a LEDC (Less Economically Developed Country) so a lot of progress is to be made. • No opinion, in my perspective Turkey has been democratized as far as it could be. • Yes, because that is more an internal concern. The EU should not be responsible for such problems. • No because this is happening now, giving Turkey a green sign doesn’t mean the chance of terrorism increases. • Not at the moment, I think they should first solve the problems that play an issue inside the country. Another important factor is that they don’t corporate with countries that have surpluses of suffer from scarcity.

5. Elja interviewed Maurice from H4A The interviews (Elja and Maurice) • A bigger EU with more countries means more possibilities which gives us more influence in the world/ • These days, Islamitic countries aren’t put in a good daylight. This means a lot of criticism can encounter the decision of Turkey entering the EU or not. Also they should first satisfy the demands of the EU. • This should be a considered issue, but I think that there won’t be any radical problems because Europe is a multicultural ‘society’. • Turkey is a big country, where tourism makes up a lot of the income, because Turkey is a warm holiday country and has several important places of trade, it could increase the economy. • Yes, more people will go on a holiday, this is because you don’t have to request a visa when you go on a holiday • It could be that holiday residents such as Spain & France will lose some income, but this is not such a big issue • If they want acces to the EU they should. At this moment a death penalty is still active in Turkey, this should be banned if they want to join. • As I’ve said before, yes, if they just satisfy to the demands of the European Union. If the EU takes this serious and does something good with it the economy will grow and the EU gets more influence on the rest of the world. • This is my preference, because I want to here what the people have got to tell, but it’s not really necessary I guess. • They should first take care of the poverty; other wise the problems will only grow and grow and grow. • Yes and no. If Turkey takes the necessary measures against terrorism the chance will decrease. But terrorism is an issue you can’t predict or either prevent from happening. • I don’t really care, but I do think it’s an issue to the people who love it as a holiday resident. If they get access there will be less trouble with visas, money and the economy will increase.

6. Derya interviewed Mohammed Rashid The interviews (Derya and her friend) • First they have a splendid country that becomes visited by the complete world by tourist and that deserves much money, Turkey is producing textile very cheap. How the EU have advantages also with. • The Turkish government must deal a lot of adaptations for an access to the EU, as a result of which the people also gets it difficult and the EU with acceptance. • Two cultures have more often had conflicts, but maybe this will be stop at access to the EU. • Turkey commissions tourists by the complete world. By access Turkey to the EU then a lot of hands make light work. • Yes I think so, The companies in Turkey can cooperate now more easily with the European countries, as a result of which of it good cooperation is just and more work as a result of which prosperity increases • That they meet now with new a culture that perhaps also has other standards & values. And the members of the EU must adapt also for a good cooperation • I don’t know. • See question 1. • No, no democracy is not a reason for entity and cooperation. • The cooperation with the EU could be an solution for the poverty in Turkey. • No, I don’t think so. Why should will be more terrorism if Turkey enters the EU? Only because it is an Islamic country? • Yes, it’s an important country with a hopeful future, that should be reason enough!

7. Derya interviewed Ali Bekrem, 53 years old. Derya and her father (answers) • It lowers the problem of Europe becoming older and older. New ideas will appear. Also the perspective of European people will be more enthusiastic for younger people. • The only small disadvantage is that more money will be sucked from the treasure box. • No, no conflicts will appear because the Turkish civilization is very modern. • The economy will only get better of it. This is because Turkey is the bridge between two main trade world parts. Asia and Europe, accessing Turkey to the EU will make the trade between these two parts of the world only better. • Yes, because there are a lot of possibilties. • The influence of EU decreases. • No, doesn’t have to. • See question 1. • No, I wouldn’t. • Turkey is better developed than Romania and Bulgaria, so I don’t think they have to. • No, Turkey is aware of terrorism, you should see Turkey as a bodyguard for the EU, protecting terrorism. • Yes, they have to, this is because Turkey is a modern Islamite country that can have a good influence on the EU.

8. Alex and his parents (Father) • I think that the advantage is that there are more and more European people in the world. It becomes a very big group of people. • Turkey haves some conflicts in their land, so maybe they take that to European. • No i dont think so. The people will take eachother like they are, and have no fights or conflicts. They will respect the European people, because they lett the Turkeys in Europe. • I think that Turkey dont have a big influence on our economy. They will use our things and stuf but i think that that would’nt be a big influence. • No i dont think so. They go on like they do now. • They arent very big i think, but they have a little les to say, more less than now. • Yes. They will have to adapt theyreselfs on the people of Europe. • I dont no, to be honest. Maybe that the Turkey will buy much things from Europe, and less things from the outside of it? I think that because it wil be better for their own economy if they buy thing from Europe. • Yes, i do. I think that if they dont have democracy that theyre way of living is to diferent with our style. • It would be fine, but i think that they dont can do it alone. They need the support of Europe. • No i dont think so. If the terrorists attack Europe, they wil suffer it to. It is their own economy than to. • I think it is fair to give them accession, but i dont no sure or it would be good for our economy and our lives. They need it to recover and to be a better land, but we pay for that. So dont let them in. We, in the Netherlands have to pay very much tax, and if the Turkey get acces to the Europe, we have to pay even more!

9. Alex interviewed his friend Christel von Rossum Alex and his friend (interview) • Europe becomes one. It is also a lot easier, because Turkey gets the Euro. • I think we get more problems, because there is a chance Turkey works in a other way then the European Union does. • Yes, I think so. Because they have a whole different culture than the most European countries have. • I think they will have a good influence on the European economy, because there economy is well at the moment. I think they can help the rest of Europe. • Yes, because they get financial help of the EU. • I think they become improve when they get in the European Union. I think their culture will change. • Yes, because I agree with the rights of Europe. • Yes, because I think the European economy will be better. • Yes, because I think democracy is the best way to lead a country. • No, I think that they can do something about the poverty with help from the EU. • Yes, because there are terrorists in Turkey and how more terrorists in Europe, how more terrorism there will be. • No, because there will be more disadvantages then advantages.

10. Brian interviewed his father Frank Durand(44) Brian and his father • I don’t see many advantages, just more area for the EU, so more power over the world. • Too many Turkish people will start working in the Netherlands, and the labor market will be flushed over with cheap labor forces. • Yes, because of the human rights. • See question 2, an effect of this will be that a lot of the working class in Holland will decrease, this causes the unemployment of the EU to grow, which has a bad effect on the economy. • No, I don’t think so. • See question 4 & 2. • Yes, they should recognize all the religions and ethnical groups, such as the Armenians and Kurdish people. • See question 1. • Yes. • Yes, because otherwise it has a bad influence of BBP of the EU. • Yes, because they have free access across al the borders since they’re a member of the EU now. • No, for explanation see questions above.

11. I think that it is not good for Europe when Turkey enters it. There are many thing and conflict between the European people and the Turkeyan people. Thing like the way of living. Many people in Turkey live with the Koran and are moslims. In the Europe are many people that think there are already too much moslims or Turkey people. An other thing that makes it hard to get Turkey by the EU is that the people in Europe can vote for it. Many people dont want it, and vote that they dont want it. The people in Turkey need help from Europe, but many European people dont want te give that help, or even dont think about them. Some Turkish people want to get by the EU, but many dont want it too. So they have to decide it first in their own land. The thing is that the Turkish people cant vote yes or no for it, because their is full democracy. My opinion is that Turkey must be democrat and then we have to think about it again. If they dont have democracy, the ways of life are too diferent. Alexander Joordens. Personally, I don’t think it’s really good for the EU when Turkey gets access to it. Because of all the conflicts between the religious groups that have occurred in the past, the gap will only grow more and more if Turkey joins. This is because if they get permission, all the citizens of Turkey can easily across the border, usually even without checking what they transport. This is an increasing chance of terrorism. Since they can cross the border so easily, think about this. Turkey isn’t a rich country at all. So you can see them as an LEDC (Low Economically Developed Country). These countries contain a high percentage of cheap ass labor force. This means that rich countries with a high national income such as France, suffer. All the cheap labor force emigrates from Turkey to France, which means that the labor market gets taken over by cheap labor force. If less money is made and jobs are taken over by these people it will be devastating for the economy. This is because the income of a country decreases… Brian Durand. Personal Opinion of the group.

12. I think that it’s good when Turkey get accession to the European Union because Turkey is an important country with a good future. When Turkey enter to the European Union will the economy become better. The reason is that Turkey between Asia and Europe is. There comes a better communication between these 2 continents. You can see Turkey as a kind of bridge. Also the ageing will be stopped because in Turkey lives many young people that can hold the ageing in balance. If Turkey enter the European Union…the future will be better. You can trust it. So that’s my personal opinion of the accession of Turkey. Derya Bekrem I think it’s a good thing when Turkey enters the EU. This is because Turkey is the bridge between Asia and Europe. This increases the trade between the EU and Asia which both will benefit from. Next to this I think that the gap between Muslims and Christian/Western people will decrease. This is because when people live together they automatically get used to each other and adapt to each other’s customs. Next to this I think that the saying that terrorism will increase when Turkey enters the EU is nonsense. This is because there have been enough terrorist attacks in the past, this means that nothing has stopped them then. And what will change when turkey gets access?Elja Monika Personal opinion of the group