Turkey 2008 Progress Report tabled

The European Parliament's draft report on Turkey's progress in 2008 was published today and will be discussed next Thursday, 2 December, in the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Rapporteur Ria Oomen-Ruijten MEP emphasised her concern over the continued slowdown of the reform efforts for the third consecutive year and has openly asked the Turkish Government to prove its political will to continue the political reforms.

She highlighted that these political reforms are at the heart of the reform process. The report focuses on the Copenhagen political criteria and points out the problems which urgently need to be tackled in the coming months. The European Parliament will vote on the report in March 2009.