The EU membership processes of Romania and Bulgaria relative to Turkey?Ekrem Yaşar AkçayThe EU membership processes of Romania and Bulgaria relative to Turkey?

Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union in 2007 as part of the EU’s sixth enlargement wave. However, the problems concerning Bulgaria and Romania, such as their struggle with economic problems, are still on the agenda. That both countries are full members of the EU has begun to be debated within and outside Europe since both states are regarded as among the weakest countries in the EU. At the same time, this situation has brought forth the question concerning Turkey’s accession. Even though Bulgaria and Romania have been accepted into the European Union, Turkey’s application to the Union has been held in abeyance for a long time. Recognising that Turkey’s accession process is currently frozen, and indeed that some EU member states are in opposition, the article considers the reasons why Bulgaria and Romania were accepted as EU members, drawing on a series of European Commission reports. It uses this official analysis to prompt a debate as to whether, and in which areas, Turkey needs to make a change in its foreign policy discourse and in the type of relationship it wants with the EU.