Greek thoughts on the Turkish accession negotiations from 2005 to 2018: An analysis of the European Parliament records with a focus on Greek politicians and the impact on the accession process Tsakiri 5252156

Abstract

Turkey expressed a desire to join the European Union in the early stages of the EU’s establishment. The accession negotiations started in 2005 and were halted in 2018, leading to thirteen years of fruitless negotiations and reforms. This research studies the impact Greece and Greek members of the European Parliament had on the negotiations process. To do so, it utilizes the Greek politicians’ motives and the written questions addressed by the politicians to the Commission and the Council, the other two institutions involved in the EU’s enlargement process. Politicians act on the public’s opinion will and on national interests. The main argument is that Greece used the process to fulfil national interests, through the European Parliament. This pressure exertion incommoded the process, thus leading to its longevity. The results indicate that the Greek politicians tried to raise concerns regarding Turkey’s incompatibility and Greece’s national interests and pressure the Commission and the Council to investigate and act by addressing 631 questions, the one-fourth of the total questions.