Quo Vadis Europa?

I would like to present my personal opinion as regards the very important matter about the application of Turkey to join the European Union. Indeed, Turkey has always been an eastern land for the Europeans, especially for the ancient Greeks and for the Romans; "anatole" is a Greek word meaning "east". Turkey has always been part of Asia Minor. Undoubtedly, the Turks have never been Europeans; they are Asians, of Asiatic origin. The Turkish culture and mentality are certainly not European; their religion and philosophy are certainly not European but Asiatic.

The Islamic religion has completely nothing to do with the western culture. Islam does not accept and tolerate integration with any other religious philosophy. Islamic women do not integrate themselves easily with others. Even the way of living of the Turks and the Islamic religion with its "ancient" laws have nothing to do with the western Judeo-Greco-Roman-Christian culture. The extreme Islamic fanaticism is indeed a revolution against evolution, against dialogue and tolerance.

On the other hand, our Maltese culture is European. There have been frequently many synods and councils within the Christian Church. The western Church has always been in favour of the intellectual and artistic creativity. It has been Europe of St Jerome of Croatia, of St Cyril and his brother St Methodius of the Slavic peoples, of Erasmus van Rotterdam, of Martin Luther... It has been Europe of the Catholics in the south, of the Orthodox in the east and of the Protestants in the north.

Indeed, the Renaissance started in Europe, where the Popes financed the artists and the writers. Europe extends from the Atlantic up to the Ural Mountains and it incorporates the western culture. It has been the Europe of Schumannn, de Gasperi, Charles de Gaulle, Konrad Adenauer and the others.

I am certainly not xenophobe or racist at all. We should have very strong cultural and economic relations with Turkey and with the other neighbouring lands. This can take place in the living room but certainly not in the bedroom. As regards Turkey, with its Islamic laws, joining the EU will be a complete disaster for Europe.

Politics and politicians have certainly influenced the history of Europe. Historia magistra vitae est. History is the teacher of life. And history repeats itself. People do commit the same mistakes. For example, the Sumerians were a very intelligent people of Lower Mesopotamia. They founded progressive civilisations in the ancient world. When the Semites of Saudi Arabia established themselves in Mesopotamia, however, they eliminated gradually the Sumerians from the political scene. And history can repeat itself.

I am afraid to say that some western politicians, like Tony Blair and George Bush, do not interest themselves too much in history. Virgil wrote in the "Eneide" 2,49, Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes.

Maybe the British and the Americans deliberately or indeliberately want to dissolve the EU. They want to bring perfidiously the famous gigantic wooden horse of Troy on the shores of Europe by means of Turkey. This stratagem can bring gradually the dissolution of the EU. Both Mr Blair and Mr Bush do support the candidacy of Turkey to join the EU.

Malta and nine other nations are going to join the EU come May 2004. On the threshold of Europe, let us defend Malta, Europe and the European Union.