THE CAPITAL CELEBRATES 9 MAY EUROPE DAY

9 May Europe Day was celebrated with the festival held in Ankara, Youth Park under the auspices of Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis and Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Melih Gokcek and in cooperation with the Secretariat General for EU Affairs, Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey and Spanish Embassy in Ankara.

The festival programme began with the puppet show held at the Youth Park Culture Centre and then followed by the bicycle tour in which Bagis, Gokcek, deputies, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey Ambassador Marc Pierini, Spanish Ambassador on behalf of the EU Presidency and ambassadors from the EU member states took part, along with their spouses. Following the group reaching the Youth Park completing the bicycle tour from the Parliament Park to the Youth Park, official opening of the Europe Day Festival was performed.Delivering a speech at the opening of the Festival, Minister for EU Affairs Bagis noted that he also celebrated Mother's Day, together with 9 May Europe Day.

Indicating that Turkey now manifested its Europeanism in every area with its achievements, Bagis stated that a project which was initiated by the proposal of Foreign Minister of France 60 years ago now turned into the most comprehensive peace project in the human history.

Noting that European nations which came out of two big wars joined together in order not to fight against each other any more and formed a strong union, Bagis reminded that Mevlana also said, "You are a droplet when you are alone but you become a sea when you join".

Stressing that ‘Turkey was the most Easterner country of the West and the most Westerner country of the East', Bagis stated that Turkey's membership to the European Union would add great richness to the Union.

Indicating that Turkey had changed and would continue to change and no one could stand in the way of this force, Egemen Bagis said, "This nation would definitely attain the place it deserved, which is the European Union full membership standard."Spanish Ambassador Joan Clos thanked Bagis, Metropolitan Municipality and Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey for organizing an entertaining and interesting Europe Day celebration. Clos stated that 9 May was celebrated every year in order to display the successes of the EU and success brought by peace, freedom, welfare and working together.

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Melih Gokcek also noted that it had a special meaning to celebrate Mother's Day and 9 May Europe Day together and said, "Turkey has long since become ready for the European Union membership. In order to prove that we have a sincere desire for this, we as Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, together with Mr. Minister, organized today these beautiful festivities one after the other. We will hold this festival each year from now on until we become a member to the EU and we will also ensure the EU membership as soon as possible, please God."

After the opening speeches, the group attended tree planting ceremony and short film screenings. Activities in the Youth Park continued with short film screening titled "Neyse Halim Çıksın Falim", setting up of promotional stands prepared by the embassies, open air shows and screening of the award winning film "Honey".

Within the scope of ‘Europe Day' celebrations, a reception was also hosted by the State Ministry in cooperation with Ankara Metropolitan Municipality. Minister for EU Affairs Bagis and his spouse Beyhan Bagis, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey Marc Pierini, Head of the EU Harmonization Committee in the Turkish Parliament Yasar Yakis, some ambassadors from the EU member states including Joan Clos, ambassador of Spain to Turkey, which holds the EU presidency, Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Melih Gokcek and his spouse Nevin Gokcek and other guests attended the reception given at the Youth Park Culture Centre.

Reminding that the late Prime Minister Adnan Menderes made the first application to the EU in 1959, Bagis said:

"Unfortunately, Turkish democracy experienced a coup one year later which is a black mark in its history. As Turkey is unfortunately governed by the military constitutions ever since, it can't be a member to the EU despite its efforts. However, things started to change in Turkey. The most comprehensive amendment package of our Constitution since 1982 has been referred to the grand Turkish nation by our Parliament. The EU days have now started to be celebrated with such an enthusiasm. We have now started to go beyond the chapters. We have now a capital which was awarded a prize by the Council of Europe."

Minister for EU Affairs Bagis made the following remarks on the period when negotiations had started in Turkey's full membership process to the EU:

"When our Prime Minister demonstrated a strong determination and Turkey received a date for negotiation on 17th December 2004 in Brussels exactly 45 years later, following the application of the late Menderes, the city which celebrated that most enthusiastically in Turkey was Ankara and the mayor who celebrated that most enthusiastically was Melih Gokcek. That day those who were proponents of preserving the status quo and regime and who criticized our esteemed mayor for these celebrations were afraid that Turkey would be more democratic and modern and would go beyond the level of the contemporary civilizations achieving the goal set by Ataturk. However, one can't avoid an evil when one fears, Turkey is changing, Turkey will continue to change and no one could will be able to stand in the way of this force. This nation will definitely attain the place it deserves, which is the European Union full membership standard."

Within the scope of celebrations, Ferhat Gocer gave a concert in the Youth Park and a firework display was held.

THE CAPITAL CELEBRATES 9 MAY EUROPE DAY

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