The system must change to get rid of coalitions

Egemen Bağış replied the questions posed to him at Best FM’s “Talking Turkey with Ufuk Karcı” program.

“Visa application, one of the biggestbetrayal of the 80’s coup to this country.”

Sharing his views on the works with the European Union (EU) for the removal of the visa requirement for Turkish citizens, Egemen Bağış said “Turkey has been a member country to the Customs Union since 1996. It is a shame that while our products can enter the EU duty-free, our businessmen, engineers, workers and all Turkish citizens who are producing thosehave to acquire a visa to go to the EU countries. Unfortunately, 80’s coup is the reason and the startingpoint of this wrong practice. The pro-coup mindset after 1980 has encouraged the visa application in those countries in order to prevent some citizens to leave for Europe as asylum-seekers. One the biggest betrayals of the 80 coup to this country is letting the European Union countries to apply visa to Turkish citizens, by waiving our rights arising from the previous agreements. Underscoring the latest contacts made by Prime Minister Davutoğlu in Brussels, Bağış added “the government achieves important success in the negotiations.”

“The EU wants to stall Turkey”

Egemen Bağış pointed religious faith as one of the most prominent factors whay the EU leaves Turkey out. “Turkey will be at the forefront in governance, comparing to many European countries, if it becomes a member. We will have a voice. They are stalling us for these reasons. We are ahead of many EU member states in terms of several criteria.” said Bağış.

“The root of the problem in Syria shall be scrapped”

Responding to a question, Bağış stressed that the Turkish Republic treats Syrian refugees as guests and expressed “some European countries want to give financial support. Turkey is doing this for years. Now, everyone knows how muchTurkey is right in its claims. Theimportant point is this.”

Underlining that a massacre is happening in Syria, Bağış stated that “Esad, claiming to be the head of state, is almost like a regional leader who lost the control over 75 percent of the country.” Bağış said “Current regime is responsible from all the carnage. Thus, the root of the problem shall be scrapped.”

“A system change is a must to get rid of the coalitions”

Works on the new Constitution is another topic discussed by Bağış during the program. Bağış stressed that 60 governments have been established throughout the 90-year history of the Republic and this has brought instability in governance. He commented “This is a loss for Turkey. There is an urgentneed for achange in the system that will provide stability. This must be either an election system that clamps down coalitions such as in Italy or a presidential system as in the countries with strong economies, particularly the US.”