Acta Universitatis Danubius. Relationes Internationales, Vol 3, No 1 (2010)

Abstract

The possibility of Turkey to become member of the European Union has raised numerous debates and concerns. Even the founding principle of unity in diversity seems to be challenged by the possibility of Turkish accession as this country possesses several features that are different from the rest of EU member states. Opinions related to Turkey EU membership are often divergent, each side relying on their own arguments. Proponents argue that Turkey is a regional power with a large economy and a strong military force that will enhance EU's position as a global geostrategic player. On the other hand, opponents emphasize the demographic projections which indicate that, in around ten years, Turkey will become EU’s most populous state. They also draw attention upon Turkey’s different cultural and religious background. Objectives: This paper is focused on revealing key-aspects of EU-Turkey relations in the context of accession negotiations. Furthermore, the paper presents the image of Turkey as a candidate country, emphasizing the opinion of officials but also the view of citizens, both from the European Union and Turkey. Approach: The paper is based on reviewing and analysis of existing research on the topic, including web-based documentation, statistics, press reports, EU reports.