The other side of the coin: the growing opposition in turkey against to the european union accession

Graph – 3: Real GDP growth rate – volume (Percentage change on previous year) ⁶⁸
Source: Eurostat. Table: Real GDP growth rate Last update of data on 30 November 2013. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=table&plugin=1&language=en&pcode=tec00115

Turkey can be a developing country; however, it is not changing the fact that Turkey is a member country of G20. By comprising 19 countries⁶⁹ and plus the EU⁷⁰, "G20 members represent around 85 per cent of global gross domestic product, over 75 per cent of global trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population".⁷¹ The obtained satisfaction from the economic growth of Turkey led the Turkish government, AKP, to setup the new strategies for 2023 by providing continuous economic growth. “Turkish Exports Strategy for 2023 was initiated by the Ministry of Economy and Turkish Exporters Assembly in 2009. The main purpose of this strategy is to reach 500 billion dollars of exports volume in 2023, the centenary anniversary of the Turkish Republic, with an average of 12% increase in exports annually. Becoming one of the world’s 10 largest economies in 2023 and taking 1,5% share from the world’s trade are also being targeted. Furthermore, it is planned to reach 80% exports/imports ratio in 2023.”⁷² On the other hand, although the GDP growth rate is important to determine the economies of countries, the economical indicators like GDP per capita in Purchasing Power Standards (PPS) of the countries has also critical importance because of helping to understand the welfare level of the countries. Graph 5 states that the countries, which have advanced economies, are also good level in terms of GDP per capita in PSS, even though Slovakia and Estonia are under 75. Nevertheless, Turkey appears on the list as the second least country by having 56 in 2012, after Bulgaria with 47.

Turkey realized that having strong economy is the key which opens every door much more easily. Therefore, it has strengthened its economy even though there have been significant global economical crises in recent years. This rising brought Turkey a chance to change its position in front of the EU. In other words, Turkey is not in “supplicant” position anymore and start to demand clear benefits from the EU in terms of the accession negotiations.