European Parliament Foreign Relations Commission and Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission former member Joost Lagendijk evaluated Turkey's EU process and the last phase reached in Kurdish question to ANF. Lagendijk expressed that he has a high opinion of 'Democratic Autonomy Project’ of Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), noting that the AKP (Justice and Development Party) government hasn’t gone further than taking a few steps at first. “An initiative can not be the subject while Kurds are still not permitted to write the signboards and to receive education in their mother language. The bilingualism problem should be resolved at first. The way should be opened to enable people speak in their mother tongue and the bounds should be clarified. Some steps have been taken so far but there hasn’t been any positive development yet”.

'DEMOCRATIC AUTONOMY IS APPLICABLE'

Lagendijk underlined that the way for education in mother tongue definitely needs to be opened, expressing that he considers the Democratic Autonomy of Kurdish people quite right and the model needs to be implemented in all over Turkey.

About the democratic Autonomy, he said: "I pay big attention to BDP call for Democratic Autonomy. It is a demand in point. I think the system needs to be practiced in Aegean the Black Sea region as well. Turkey has got a multicultural structure, fort his reason I advocate this autonomy model for everywhere. For example in Germany, each decision on training or any other subject is not made in Berlin. The regions there can make their own decisions. Turkey also needs to be like that and not to stick to Ankara. This is a model that can and should be applied. I see no harm here”.

I DON’T SUPPORT AKP ANY MORE

Lagendijk expressed that he supported the AKP government just like everyone else when it came forward with the Kurdish initiative but he withdrew support as he didn’t believe in AKP’s sincerity when the initiative ended by arresting Kurdish politicians and closing DTP (Democratic Society Party) afterward. Noting that the attitude of the European Parliament is also in this way, Lagendijk said; “They were also supporting the democratic initiative but they thought twice on the subject when Kurdish politicians and mayors were put in jail. For this reason, AKP and BDP certainly need to have talks, the arrested Kurdish politicians should be released and a legal policy basis should be created here. The problem can not be solved as long as the way is blocked”.

‘IRELAND PROPOSAL FROM LAGENDÝJK

Concerning the new constitution to be prepared in Turkey, Lagendijk said; “The constitution here should embrace the mother-tongue education, the democratic autonomy subject and different cultures. Turkish concept as ethnicity should be reduced and more emphasis should be laid on citizenship”.

Lagendijk continued as follows; “Will these people come to Turkey? Stay in Iraq? Or go to Norway? This point needs to be clarified for certain. It should be built on a strong ground what will happen with Kandil. People go to mountains because of hopelessness, because they had no other choices. However, in my opinion this issue can never be solved with weapons, a political solution is needed here. In this regard, Kurdish politicians need to come to the table and talk with government officials, just like in Ireland”.

‘TURKEY CAN’T ENTER THE EU WITHOUT SOLVING THE KURDISH PROBLEM’

Lagendijk brought forward the following proposals; “The language ban needs to be removed firstly as Kurdish should be taught besides Turkish. Moreover, it will take 3-4 years for the new Constitution to slot into place completely. These basic problems will take at least 5 years but I am hopeful that they will be solved. Besides, Turkey can’t be a member of EU in this process, as long as this problem remains unsolved”.

Translation: Berna Ozgencil