BRUSSELS - Turkey's longtime goal of joining the European Union, like a mirage in the desert, seems to fade further into the distance as time goes by. On Wednesday, the goal receded a little further as the EU issued a report that was scathing toward Turkey's regard for fundamental rights and freedom of expression — bedrock values for any country wishing to join the European club.
Turkey slammed the report, calling it a biased attempt by the crisis-burdened EU to delay Turkish membership.
The EU's criticism came in a document produced by its executive branch, the European Commission, that assessed the progress and challenges facing would-be EU members. In customary EU fashion, the report said that each country had made significant accomplishments but had more work to do. The EU has long held out the lure of membership as a way of exporting its democratic values to countries that wish to benefit from its common market.
Croatia, for example, is scheduled to become the next EU member — the 28th — on July 1, 2013. The report said Croatia had made good progress overall, but needed to follow through on increasing transparency in public procurement and party financing. Story continued.
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