[autom.vertaling] De winnaar van Turkse verkiezing maakt de EU tot een prioriteit (en)

The Islamic-based Justice and Development Party has won Turkey's general election and for the first time in 11 years could form a single party government. According to initial results, only two parties managed to cross the 10 per cent threshold needed to enter the parliament. Both the leader and the vice-chairman of the Justice and Development Party assured that they will definitely continue preparations to meet the EU accession criteria and promised to make joining the EU one of their priorities.

"Our first priority in government will be to complete the framework document for the Copenhagen criteria. We don't want to leave any pretext for Europe to say that Turkey will not be admitted," said Yasar Yakis, the vice-chairman of the Justice and Development party to the Guardian. The former ambassador to the United Nations stressed that in general his party's desire is to look west.

Determined to accelerate Turkey's EU membership

Also the leader of the party talked about the importance of EU membership for Turkey. During a television news conference Reccep Tayyip Erdogan said his party is determined to accelerate Turkey's EU membership. In an interview to NTV television, Mr Erdogan promised that his party would send envoys to all 15 EU member states to promote Turkey's candidacy.

The Justice and Development Party was formed last year, mainly by members of previously banned Islamist groups, but they describe themselves as "conservative democrat" and deny that their ideas are dominated by an Islamist agenda. Under the Turkish Constitution, if a party wins more than half of seats in the parliament they can form a single-party government. The centre-left Republican Peoples Party is the second party, which managed to obtain at least 10 per cent of the national vote needed to assure their place in the new government.

The European Commission took note of the outcome of the Turkish elections and declared to be ready to co-operate with the new government. It also took note that the two parties that will be represented in the Grand National Assembly have clearly indicated that they want to pursue a pro-European policy. The Commission expects Turkey to confirm its commitments to reforms in order to comply with the EU-accession criteria. In a press release the Commission said: "As with previous governments in Turkey and in the same way as with all the other candidate countries, the Commission will continue to monitor closely the progress made, with particular attention to action taken in practice."