President.

Question No 11 by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (H-0312/05)

Subject: Suspension of the entry into force of the new penal code in Turkey

The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently announced that his government had decided to suspend the entry into force of the new revised Turkish penal code planned for this month.

Given that the revision and application of the penal code represent one of the Community institutions' basic demands with a view to Turkey's adapting to the acquis communautaire, what view does the Council take of this development? Has it been officially informed by the Turkish Government of the reasons for the suspension and the final date for the entry into force of the new penal code? If so, what response has it given to the Turkish Government? Does it believe that the failure to apply the new penal code will have consequences for the start of negotiations with this candidate country on 3 October 2005?