Turkey opened membership talks with the European Union in October 2005. Four years later, the enlargement of the EU to Turkey raises several questions about the identity of the European Union.

Bulgaria, as a new member of the EU and as direct neighbor, has its role to play in this process. But in order to have a constructive dialogue about the future of Turkey in Europe, one should avoid two mistakes which are frequently made in Bulgaria:

- focus on the 5 centuries of Ottoman occupation;

- focus on the internal political level and especially on the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.

It is common in Bulgaria to refer to this two issues when talking about Turkey's accession to the EU. The aim of this debate is to avoid them and to talk about the future. After the European Parliament’s Recent Draft Resolution on Turkey wrote by MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten (here), what is the role of Bulgaria towards the accession of Turkey to the EU?

The participants are:

  • Mrs Gergana Passy, President of Pan-Europa Bulgaria
  • Mr Mehmet T. Gücük, Turkish Ambassador to Bulgaria
  • Mr Andrey Kovatchev, Member of the European Parliament, President of the Union of European Federalists
  • Mr Antony Galabov, Sociologist
  • Mr Yavor Datchkov, Journalist

Moderator: Hristo Anasstassov (Courrier de la Bulgarie)

For this debate, we have the support of Courrier de la Bulgarie, Pan-Europa Bulgaria, Dnevnik and the European Commission Representation

For more information, please contact Alexandre Nedeltchev, General Secretary of Cafe Babel Sofia (a.nedeltchev@cafebabel.com)

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When : February 26 / 11 am

Where: the EU Information Centre, 9 Moskovska Street

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