Think the way we think. We will deny you any opportunity to think otherwise.

Not the first, nor the last time. It's been a while though. Last I heard the Turkish had banned wordpress.com - I don't know if the ban has been lifted yet.

The sooner we let them in, the better. Then all such bans will be overruled by the higher court they've just abandoned their sovereignty to. (I never really understood why they had to comply with all the rules *before* they join. Just let them join and take them to the cleaners in the European court.)

as far as im concerned these countries have to prove themselves as worth EU nations - they simply are not. no civil rights and free speech = not in the EU

Insulting Turkishness is one law and defaming Ataturk is another. The former is probably going to go away as it's something the EU has underlined and it's too broad; I don't think the latter is up for discussion and I'm sure Turkey would gladly pass up EU membership over it.

Oh and Liam, I think you're living in a bit of a fantasy-land if you think that the EU is some kind of bastion of free speech. Banning defamation of Mustafa Kemal is not a big deal; Turkey should should definitely be part of the EU -- I mean Bulgaria and Romania? Give me a break...