"WE SHOULD GET RID OF THE EGOCENTRIC CULTURE AND MOVE TOWARDS A SOCIO-CENTRIC CULTURE IN TURKEY"

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagiş, in his speech he delivered at the publicity meeting of the shoemakers association at WOW Hotel in Istanbul said that some people tried to change the agenda of the country, disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Turkey and make the citizens withdraw their confidence from the state. "However," he continued, "there some other people who work, produce and pay their tax. This is the real agenda of Turkey"

Indicating that per capita income had been 3 thousand dollars when they came to power, Bagis said that it has increased up to 11 thousand dollars now but that was not enough because the nation deserved the best of all things.

Bagis said that the average income in Europe was 20 thousand Euros and he continued: "If in EU Member countries people can freely express their ethnic identity, make broadcasts in different languages and dialects and get university education in different languages why wouldn't that happen in Turkey too, we asked. Are we going to fear from our citizens more than France fears from its citizens? This is the aim of National Unity and Brotherhood Project. Democratic initiative does not interest only one sect in Turkey."

Stating that Turkey had the 6th greatest economy in Europe and the 16th in the world, Bagis said only 7 years ago Turkey had been ranked the 27th greatest economy of the world.

Bagis said that Turkey by 2010 has become one of the 15 countries which are most attractive for investment, and according to OECD statistics, Turkey would have the greatest rate of economic growth after China and India.

Indicating that the number of people capable of work in Turkey was 24 million and this was the 4th biggest labour force potential in Europe, Minister Bagis said that average age in Europe was 42, however it was 28 in Turkey.

Bagis said: "Instead of struggling with differences, if we can manage to focus on common denominators and get united we can prove that we have the capability to overcome all our problems."

Stating that Turkey, as the most oriental country in the West and the most westerner country in the Orient, was a shining star in the world and had become the country of solutions, Minister Bagis said: "We have become the conciliator between the countries who have no dialogue between each other. Turkey is the only country which could bring Afghanistan and Pakistan together. Again, Turkey is the country today which makes efforts to establish a dialogue between the United States and Iran and prevent the start of another fire in our neighbourhood. Turkey is not only the centre of energy, production and employment but also a shining star in the world which is the centre of peace because we became aware of our own power.

Bagis continued as follows:

"We should get rid of the egocentric culture and move towards a socio-centric culture in Turkey. We should change the mentality which says "citizens are for the state" with the mentality which considers the "state as the servers of the citizens". We should leave the mentality where the state, as indicated in our Constitution, is almighty, and adopt another mentality where the citizen is "almighty".

Source: AA