Une Cour turque ajoute à l’embarras concernant un groupe de médias[en] 

The pace of reforms now needs to be significantly stepped up in Turkey, the European Commission's recently published 'Enlargement Strategy Paper 2009-2010 ' says. 

Presenting the country report, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn expressed concern over "legal uncertainties and pressures of all sorts that affect freedom of the press in practice, as shown by the tax fine against the Dogan media group" (EurActiv 15/10/09). 

The Commission takes the view that irrespective of other legal aspects, the high fines imposed by the revenue authority to the Dogan group potentially undermine its economic viability, and therefore affect freedom of the press in practice. There is a need to uphold the principles of proportionality and fairness in such tax-related procedures, the EU executive insists. 

The record $3.3 billion fine is at the heart of a dispute between the government and Dogan Yayin, which says it is being unfairly targeted as a result of critical coverage of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's adminstration. 

The European Union, which Turkey wants to join, has also criticised the penalty over freedom of expression concerns. However, the government says it is purely a technical tax matter and not politically motivated. 

The tax fine, which is larger than the combined market value of Dogan Yayin and the firm's parent company Dogan Holding, threatens the survival of the Dogan media group. Shares in Dogan Yayin were up 2.8% in early trade, while Dogan Holding rose 2.9%. 

The interim court decision came after Dogan said on Friday it was seeking new partners or would sell part or all of its subsidiaries in the face of the record fine. The latest tax court ruling, announced by Dogan in a statement to the stock exchange, applies to a court challenge made by Dogan Yayin units Dogan TV Holding and Alp Gorsel Iletisim Hizmetleri. 

Last week Dogan Yayin said it was trying to reach a settlement with authorities over the tax fine. 

Turkish courts have already imposed an injunction on the bank accounts and some assets of Dogan units. The tax row has drawn parallels with Russia's treatment of oil giant Yukos, which was crippled by a huge tax bill its owners said was politically motivated. 

Dogan has foreign partners including Time Warner and Germany's Axel Springer. 

(EurActiv with Reuters.)