Uncovering the deep state and bringing its militants to justice is the prerequisite not only for maintaining the democratization process in Turkey but also for opening the path for an eventual EU membership in the medium term.There are reasons to be optimistic about both objectives. Thank God, the men of the deep state are no longer protected. Remember a few weeks earlier? President Abdullah Gül made this very clear in the opening session of Parliament. He said: “The state cannot have two faces, one in the open and another in disguise. There is only one face of the state and that is a law-abiding state.”
When compare this message about the rule of law and accountability of all who act in the name of the state with statements of former President Süleyman Demirel, who described the “deep state as a necessity,” the distance Turkey has covered in democratization becomes easier to understand. We should not forget another unfortunate statement of the same ex-president, when he said, “The state can deviate from its routine [abiding by law] from time to time.”
What is clear is that this deep state structure is today being eliminated by the coordinated efforts of the president, the government, the judiciary and the military.
It is also good to see that Turkey's friends abroad are aware of this. The EU's evaluation of the Ergenekon process is just one example. The EU report in part reads, “This case is an opportunity for Turkey to strengthen confidence in the proper functioning of democratic institutions and the rule of law.”
This is so because no one can remain indifferent to developments in Turkey, neither the Europeans, nor the Americans nor neighboring countries. The reason is very simple: Those who rule Turkey are either an asset or a liability for regional and global peace.
Any foreign actor who thinks that it will be better if Turkey is ruled by an unaccountable group of military men is dead wrong. Maintaining democracy in Turkey is a must to build peace in the region and enhance stability. A Turkey that is at war against its own people, which would be the case in any undemocratic authoritarian model, will export trouble to its region. This would be the indirect impact. But what is more is the direct threat that such a country would pose to regional and global order.
Would anybody be happy to see Turkey ruled by a “secular Khomeini”?
Turkey under the Ergenekon gang would be exactly the same. Not only would the West lose Turkey, countries in the region that are today enjoying all kinds of cooperative relations with Turkey would also be the target of such a regime because making trouble abroad will be the key to justifying an authoritarian regime at home. Turkey's friends abroad seem perfectly aware of this nightmare scenario. A Turkey under Ergenekon would not appeal to the Kurds but would instead crush them -- not only in Turkey but in northern Iraq, too. A Turkey under Ergenekon would not be willing to solve the Cyprus question and approve of a rapprochement policy with Greece. It would stir up the Balkans, including Bulgaria, in order to mobilize nationalist sentiments. It won’t tolerate an opening with Armenia, terminating cooperation with the West and withdraw Turkey from NATO and the EU.
If the international community values peace in Turkey's neighborhood, Turkey has to be kept on the democracy track. In order to secure this, the continuation of the Ergenekon case is very important. A century-old tradition of a “parallel state” where there is no transparency, accountability or the rule of law has to be terminated. This is the reason why many in Turkey have adopted a rather “selective reading” of the EU's progress report by emphasizing its comments and perspectives on the Ergenekon case. Joost Lagendijk, who is critical of this and other selective readings of the report, is absolutely right. Yet the prospect of Turkey's democratic consolidation lies in its ability to eliminate the gangs that pretend to act in the name of the state but thereby destroy democracy and law.
In short, neither democracy nor EU membership is possible with Ergenekon untouched.
