The leader of Austria's main opposition party, Alfred Gusenbauer, said that Turkey is not yet ready to become a member of the European Union. In an interview with AP days before a general election in Austria, Gusenbauer, head of the country's Social Democrats, said there was a "common understanding" that Turkey was a European country. However he said it was not yet ready to become a member of the bloc because "not all European traditions have taken root in all parts" of the country.

"At least at the moment, Turkey is not mature enough for becoming a member of the European Union," Gusenbauer said. "I think there has to be a long path of negotiations and of development to move Europe and Turkey closer to each other. I cannot predict when the crossing point will be reached. But it's clear that without enormous endeavors on both sides, this is going to be very complicated," he said, reports ABHaber.