FM: It’s time for Turkey to decide on EU
In her first major interview since her return from New York, where she chaired the United Nations Security Council, Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said she is concerned about the «undoubtedly difficult period» in relations between Brussels and Ankara, but optimistic about developments on the domestic political scene. «The time has come for the Turkish leadership to take decisions,» she said. She said that the 25 European Union member states must do so as well, emphasizing that if Turkey does not meet its obligations, the bloc cannot go ahead as if nothing had happened. The foreign minister seems satisfied with the government’s response to the Mevgal scandal, in which the director of the Competition Commission was accused of attempting to blackmail the Mevgal dairy firm, and explained that choosing the right people to work with was the greatest nightmare for any politician. She also denied rumors of early elections and praised Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.
