Common History, Common Interests: Geostrategic Role of Turkey in the Opinion of Polish Media and Researchers

Jakub ŻAK, PhD
Przemysław ŁUKASIK, PhD

Today, Polish political support for Turkey’s EU membership is the result of the heritage of historical relationships and is visible in the interest of Polish media in Turkey¹. The main issues, as it is emphasized, that bring the interests of Turkey and Poland are the issues of energy, security and the issue of the South Caucasus². The theme undertaken in Polish media and in the analysis of research centers is also the issue of political pluralism, the situation of ethnic minorities, respect for human rights in Turkey as important factors affecting the EU accession process.

În prezent, sprijinul politic polonez pentru calitatea de membru UE a Turciei este rezultatul unei moşteniri de relaţii istorice şi este vizibil în interesul mediei poloneze faţă de Turcia. Principalele probleme, cum este evidenţiat, legate de interesele Turciei şi Poloniei sunt problema energiei, securităţii şi problema Caucazului de Sud. Tema prezentă în media poloneză şi analiza centrelor de cercetare este de asemenea problema pluralismului politic, situaţia minorităţilor etnice, respectarea drepturilor omului în Turcia ca factori importanţi ce afectează procesul de aderare la UE.

1 At the start of the Turkey accession process, the Polish press emphasized that “Old Europe is afraid of Turkey, because its 70 million poor people, and in addition 98 percent. professes Islam”and therefore opposed to the extension, or at least wants to close the labor market for Turkish immigrants. Jacek Pawlicki, EU rozpocznie negocjacje członkowskie z Turcją, 16.12.2004, lexisnexis.de, as if in counterpoint raised the argument that the rejection of Turkey would confirm that between Europe and Islam is an impassable chasm. Dawid Warszawski, Turcja do Europy – felieton Dawida Warszawskiego z cyklu „Prognoza Pogody”, 17.02.2004, http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/wyszukaj/artyku l?&query=niezadowoleni+mieszka%F1cy&navauthor=Dawid+Warszawski&sortMode=SCORE&pageNumber=1 [2015-08-27], European military and energy security and a long tradition of good Polish-Turkish relations has been and still are the key arguments present in the political debate and media in Poland, that support the accession of Turkey to the EU. “But it’s worth also remembering that the Ottoman Porta for over a century, the only one in Europe did not recognize partitions and interventions on behalf of Polish independence. (…) from the point of view of European security Turkey’s entry to the EU strengthens it very well, “RS, Turkey in the EU will Polish alliance – says Bronislaw Geremek, 09.06.2004, http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/1,114873,2271871.html,[2015-08-23].

2 Seminar: “Poland and Turkey: common neighborhood – common interests?” was organized by the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) and the Centre for Strategic Studies, acting with the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 18 September 2014 in Warsaw. http://www.pism.pl/wydarzenia/konferencje/Polska-i-Turcja-wspolne-interesy-wspolne-sasiedztwo, [2015-08-23].