Turkey's EU minister warns Europe

ANKARA (A.A) - November 24, 2011 - Turkey's European Union minister has expressed concern that European Union "was turning away from democracy" by installing technocrat governments in a number of countries to tackle the euro zone's troubling economic problems. "As far as I am concerned, one of the most important values of the European union is democracy. And what I fear right now is that the European Union is turning away from this very important value," Egemen Bagis told the Anadolu News Agency in an exclusive interview. In Greece last week Lucas Papademos formed a new technocrat government to deal with a major debt crisis that threatened the entire euro zone.  Soon Italy followed as Mario Monti won the approval of the Italian parliament to form an interim government to salvage the country from a crushing economic downturn. Monti also appointed himself as the minister of economy and finance.         Bagis said Europe's technocratic cabinets toppled democratically elected governments in what he described as "economic coups," adding, however that the technocrats could not offer solutions that last long. "Technocrats might be providing an important solution for a short term but they cannot serve in the long term. For economic success to be achieved, there needs to be stability and confidence. These are the two magical words that Turkey had in the 1990s right after our own economic crisis," Bagis said.  He said the election of the Justice and Development (AK) Party was mainly the result of a growing trust at the political power which he said translated that trust into economic investments, jobs and economic success.   "Europe needs stronger democracy supported by the will of the people who can come up with solutions that the people will support. That's why as a friend we feel that we owe to our EU allies the reminder that they should not give up on their most important value which is democracy," Bagis said. -Greek Cypriot helm of the EU- Asked how Turkey's relations with EU would be affected when the Greek Cypriot administration assumed the presidency of the European Union in July 2012, Bagis said Turkey favored a settlement on Cyprus that secured a reunified state on Cyprus that represented the two sides of the island on equal political terms. "And that Cypriot state can assume the EU helm which will make important contributions to relations between Turkey and the EU. Otherwise, the costs will be paid neither by Turkey nor by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," Bagis said. Turkey's accession talks with 27-nation bloc have been stalled for over a year now. The Union started membership talks in 13 of 33 policy areas. Discussions on one of the issues have been provisionally closed and negotiations over eight others policy chapters would not open until Turkey meets a number of conditions, the EU said.  The conditions include extension of a trade agreement with the EU to Greek Cypriot side. The bloc demands that Turkey open its ports and airports to traffic from the Greek Cypriot side which Turkey strongly rejects unless all international economic sanctions on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus were removed.