EU must embrace Turkey, an island of democracy and peace

The EU would be wise to facilitate Turkey’s accession process as its prospective membership will change the dynamics of the EU and the region for the better, writes Volkan Bozkir            

TURKEY’S wider neighbourhood is engulfed in crises. To its east lie political instability, civil war, and terrorism, while its neighbours to the west are struggling to regain their financial footing, following an economic collapse nearly on the scale of the Great Depression.

In the midst of all this turmoil, Turkey represents an island of peace, democracy, security, and stability — something the European Union should keep in mind when considering the current paralysis in accession talks.