Posted on 12/10/2004 8:29:08 AM PST by Lukasz
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - As the EU looks set to open membership negotiations with Turkey at the end of next week, over a third of its citizens are opposed to further enlargement of the 25-nation bloc.
Conducted in October and November, just months after the Union expanded by 10 countries, the poll shows that 35% of citizens are against further enlargement - with 53% in favour and 12% saying they do not know.
Those against enlargement rises to 43% when citizens only from the 15 'old' member states are considered.
Austrians and Germans have the highest percentages of citizens against enlargement (62% and 57% respectively) - both countries have common borders with new member states.
In France, where President Jacques Chirac has been fighting rising sentiment against Turkish EU membership - fifty-one percent said they against further enlargement.
The new member states, which joined the EU in May, head the ranks of those in favour of more EU expansion with Poland at 78%, Lithuania at 76%, Slovenia and at 75%.
Replying to a question about whether respondents had been specifically asked about Turkey, EU Communications Commissioner Margot Wallström, who was presenting the results, said no.
However, she added all EU institutions will have to "invest in creating more information and building the cultural bridges between Turkey and the European Union".
"To me that is the absolute key to success for further enlargement because there is so much ignorance and lack of information", said Mrs Wallström.
The EU is expected to take on Romania and Bulgaria in 2007 while Turkey is not expected to join until at least 2015 - a decision on whether to open negotiations with Ankara will be taken at the EU summit on 16-17 December.
The survey also showed that 56% of respondents thought that membership of the EU was positive.
They were also more prepared to trust the European Parliament (57%) than the European Commission (52%) - while unemployment was their biggest worry.
The survey was conducted by eurobarometer between 2 October and 8 November 2004.
Is this a holiday obesity issue? : )
I thought it had something to do with importing Enzyte from the U.S.
LOL! We have the same sick sense of humor!
Judging from Europe's neurotic behavior the past few years it seems they could use a big, new swing of confidence.
"Over a third of EU citizens against further enlargement."
Boycotting Viagra?
I've always found it fascinating when these articles put the importance of an issue on the MINORITY rather than the MAJORITY!
It really should read 'Over Half of EU citizens are FOR enlargement'.
You just gotta love the 'spin' to try to make your point!
Yes, typical media bias...
You can't blame the EU citizens, letting in more poor countries will just make the entire EU poorer. In my opinion the last batch of applicants should never have been allowed to join either, with the possible exception of Slovenia and Czech Rep. because these are the only two countries which have a high standard of living and whose citizens don't want to emmigrate en masse. Now western European countries are being swamped with immigrants from places like Romania. In Germany, Poles now make up half the prison population. It's not good.
"In Germany, Poles now make up half the prison population."
Interesting. Could you provide some source ?
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