Jan 2010 25

Turkish delight1

Istanbul’s accession to the club is one of the EU’s longstanding hot potatoes. As an applicant state and a neighbour, the country has, notwithstanding the political disputes, been the recipient of major grants.

The latest Special Report from the Court of Auditors (16/2009) produces few surprises for the weary Brussels watcher, highlighting once again a spending plan with no quantifiable objectives, indeed where there were specific objectives at all. 

Two thirds of short term priorities were not met in the stated timeframe, in part because of absurd targets such as aiming to end all fraud, drug trafficking and organised crime within two years. A food safety programme was delivered without checking the buildings and working practises were up to scratch, leading to training and new (but “inappropriate”) equipment but still no certification. Delays in customs scanner contracts led to two contracts being scrubbed as not coming up to scratch (in a country which is a major trafficker trans-route). The national Ministry of Justice had to step in to supply office equipment to the Probation Service due to contractual delays.

The Auditors observed, “Previous Court reports found similar problems in pre-accession assistance.” Lessons were not being learned, and taxpayer money not being used to best effect. Still it seems no heads have rolled.

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  • Trev1

    I thought that Turkey had turned its back on the EU due to the impossible conditions set. It is turning towards its Islamic neighbours instead. The countries that have joined only recently, failed to reduce organised crime anyway! Why are we still thinking of allowing a ‘moderate’ islamic state to enter, thus allowing ‘free’ entry to extreamists? We have enough trouble with borders now.