Examining the aproach of Turkey to Maastricht Criteria by a cluster analiysis method during the global economic crisis period of the year 2008

In the study it was aimed at assessing how much has the 2008 Global Crisis affected the European Union(UN) and Turkey with respect to the Maastricht Criteria and whether Turkey has become distant to the European Union or not according to the Maastricht Criteria during this crisis.Therefore,in first section of the study it was commenced from the historical development of the Europan Union and in the proceeding section it was dealt with the Turkey's status during this period and the matter what stages did the Global Crises go through,why and how did it apear and what kind of measures have been taken.And in the application section was given an over wiev about the Cluster Analysis which is one of the multi variate statistical techniques and it has been set forth in which cluster group according to the economic veriable chosen in accordance with the Maastricht Criteria were the Member Countries of the European Union and Turkey in the years before the crisis,the very year of the crisis and the year following it.And in the Conclusion section,rely on the cluster analysis and the available information,the status was assesses regarding to what extend did Turkey converge to the Maastricht Criteria during the 2008 Global Crisis on the way leading to the UN membership. Keywords: Economic Crisis, European Union, Cluster Analysis, Maastricht Criteria