July 26, 2007 - 17:17 AMT
Theocratic countries cannot become EU member-states, Olli Rehn says
European Union Commissioner Franco Frattini has made a statement in regards to recent general elections in Turkey, commenting that "the rights of the secular minority of Turkey must be protected." In his part Olli Rehn, the EU Commissioner for Expansion, noted, "theocratic countries cannot become EU member-states." At the same time European Parliament MP Frank Venhecke from Belgium submitted a series of questions regarding Turkey's future to the EU Presidency for answers.

Franco Frattini also said the possibility that Turkey could turn from a secular state into a theocratic nation would be a "situation difficult to accept", Huriyett reports.

During the July 22 early parliamentarian elections in Turkey Justice and Development Party (AKP) won the majority of votes at the head of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan.