Turkey to hold referendum on EU membership, to the point of becoming a member

People in Turkey may say “no” to EU membership just like the Norwegians did, Turkish President Abdullah Gul warned ahead of a visit to Austria that starts Monday (May 2nd). The warning came in three interviews with leading Austrian media.

“Referendums will take place when Turkey comes to the point of becoming a member. We respect referendums. The path leading to the EU is a long process,” Gul stated. He recalled that the EU made a common decision in 2005 to start accession talks with Turkey and said the bloc “should be true to this”. While in Vienna, Gul will attend a Turkish-Austrian business forum.