BAGIS COMMENTS ON CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS

Making an assessment on the agenda, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis stated that Turkey was prepared for Ireland’s taking over the EU term presidency. 

"Irish government stated their determination to open at least one chapter during their presidency. With Ireland's support during its presidency, we are hoping to take steps towards putting an end to our people's uneasiness in visa queues." said Minister Bagis, answering the questions of the press in Ankara.

Stating that Greek Cypriot's economic crisis was not surprising to him, Bagis pointed out that Greeks took confusing steps on many issues even in the EU.

Minister Bagis also dealt with the "Positive Agenda" in Turkey-EU relations and said, "Positive Agenda was an important platform which was unprecedented in the EU history and which we had created, with a view to by-passing the Greek Cypriot's presidency, during a time when Turkey-EU relations came to a point of potential standstill. However we have never considered it permanent. This platform was a bridge built in the negotiation process. Now it has contributed to cross the bridge and start a real negotiation process, during Ireland's presidency. In the framework of the Positive Agenda, we have carried out more activities than in the regular negotiation process, which were concluded with successful outcomes. We formed study groups on 8 vetoed and blocked chapters. Our friends have achieved real success on the issue. We have documents, of the letters sent by the Commission, stating that the criteria of 4 separate chapters were fulfilled. Apart from that, we have achieved something that we were trying to do for 30 years. Within the framework of the Positive Agenda, we have provided the commissions of the 7 EU Member States to be authorized to initiate visa exemption with Turkey."

Referring also to the presidential system argue in Turkey, Minister Bagis said, "We should discuss and adopt the presidential system for Turkey. I lived a long time in a country governed by the presidential system. When I look at the succeeding countries in the world, I think that it is not a coincidence that all of them are governed by a presidential system."

Pointing out that the presidential system secures the stability, Bagis added, "Presidential system removes coalition building. In a fine presidential system, there is a really efficient separation of powers mechanism among legislative, executive and judiciary branches. The presidential system is never a one-man system, but it is one of the most important platforms to prevent it. Taking into consideration both historical and geographical and economical structure of Turkey, I believe that the presidential system will be the most accurate and we should discuss it in the society."

Source: AA