<p>The aim of this thesis is to study the situation of minorities in Slovakia before and after the EU-membership and if EU has played a role in the situation. Also the criteria for becoming a member and other treaties regarding protection of minorities between European institutions and the accession/member states are studied. With the help of i.e. literature, relevant internet pages and yearly studies of EU, the conclusion has been made that Slovakia has made an immense change in the state’s legislation when it comes to minorities and their fundamental rights, but that changes need to be made in attitudes as well. Nationalist parties have been and still are in government and keep on disregarding EU rules, and in order to make the situation better for minorities and legislation work even in practice, the EU needs to take more action against the government than just agreements on paper.</p>

This thesis aims at studying the European Union’s actions against applicant states. In this case Turkey has been chosen as a variable, because of its unique applying accession. Turkey is a country which has been applying for a membership of the European Union since 1989 and Turkey is the only state which has been searching for membership for more than twenty years. Turkey has been given a lot of critic of not fulfilling the political criteria of the Copenhagen criteria’s. There has also been a political debate however Turkey is a European state and if its culture and religion belongs to the EU- principals.   This thesis contains an interesting analyze of the EU´s acting towards Turkey´s accession versus the criteria’s of Copenhagen. The concrete and précised questions are; in which way arguments the European parliament about turkey´s accession? What kind of opinions and announcements has the commission and the council of ministers about the accession? Can Turkey´s accession to the EU be explained by the Copenhagen criteria’s, or are there other reasons beyond which can give another explanation?  The research methods being used is an argumentation analysis which has been made on the empirical material, such as the documentation from the European parliament, Commission and the council of ministers.

The aim of this thesis is to study the situation of minorities in Slovakia before and after the EU-membership and if EU has played a role in the situation. Also the criteria for becoming a member and other treaties regarding protection of minorities between European institutions and the accession/member states are studied. With the help of i.e. literature, relevant internet pages and yearly studies of EU, the conclusion has been made that Slovakia has made an immense change in the state’s legislation when it comes to minorities and their fundamental rights, but that changes need to be made in attitudes as well. Nationalist parties have been and still are in government and keep on disregarding EU rules, and in order to make the situation better for minorities and legislation work even in practice, the EU needs to take more action against the government than just agreements on paper.