ANKARA
Turkey will continue with its EU accession process but does not care if the 28-member bloc refuses to accept Ankara.
This was the view of Turkey’s EU Ministry on Tuesday as Minister Volkan Bozkir criticized recent comments by EU officials regarding a probe against what the Turkish government calls the “parallel state”
A police operation was launched on December 14 against senior media figures and police officers in 13 provinces across Turkey for allegedly being affiliated with what the government describes as the "parallel state," a purported group of bureaucrats embedded in the country's institutions, including the judiciary and the police.
More than 20 suspects were taken into custody in the operation. All the detainees were alleged to be linked with U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen and his so-called Gulen movement. Among the suspects, four people were arrested and sent to prison.
After the operation, some senior EU officials criticized the Turkish government over the detentions and arrests.
Bozkir said that the EU officials who commented need to get information from the Turkey’s EU ministry officials before directing criticism against the government.
“I do not accept these kinds of statements from individuals and organizations without them knowing the probe operation’s details,” he said.
“Turkey and the EU need each other and the EU needs to determine new thinking when they consider Turkey,” he added.
Bozkir also stressed that Turkey had opened all the EU accession chapters on its side and said the country will close all the chapters within two years.
"Opening chapters is not a problem for us; it is the EU's problem," Bozkir said. "We will be glad if they open the chapters. We have been maintaining the accession process for eight years because it is beneficial for our people."
The minister also announced a local government EU action plan which will be put in place between June 2015 to June 2019.
Turkey applied for EU membership in 1987. Accession talks began in 2005.
However, negotiations hit a stalemate in 2007 because of Turkey’s position on the Cyprus issue and opposition to its full EU membership by German and French governments.
Turkey does not recognize southern Cyprus, which is a member of the EU.
Turkey has to successfully conclude negotiations with the EU in 35 policy chapters, which involve reforms and adoption of European standards to become a member.
So far, 14 chapters have been opened while 17 remain blocked and another four have yet to be discussed.
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