PROMOTION OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY DIALOGUE BETWEEN EU AND TURKEY PROJECT

Egemen Bagis, Minister for EU Affairs and the Chief Negotiator, delivered a speech at the inauguration of the conference "Sharing the Achievements" held in the Four seasons Hotel within the scope of "Promotion of the Civil Society Dialogue Between EU and Turkey Project" which is funded by EU and implemented by the Secretariat General for EU Affairs.

Bagis stated that they had gathered to celebrate the achievements of the people from both Turkey and Europe, who worked and exerted great efforts on civil society dialogue. Bagis pointed out that, by means of 119 projects, a great deal of municipalities, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, unions and universities from Europe, by collaborating with their counterparts in Turkey, exerted great efforts in order to present EU to Turkey and Turkey to EU. Bagis said: "There is indeed a success to be celebrated."

Noting that, more than 2 million people had got acquinted with each other in that process, Bagis stated that people would be uneasy about or suspicious and frightened of the ones whom they don't know. Bagis emphasized: "As we get to know each other, as Turkey gets to know EU and EU gets to know Turkey, the curtains will be brought down and therefore worries, doubts and fears will be eliminated."

Highlighting that the projects were, in that sense, of great importance, Bagis noted that there were three important pillars of Turkey's EU process and that the first one was the political reforms, the second was the negotiations which were being carried out despite all kinds of obstacles and the third was the civil society dialogue. Bagis continued his speech as follows:

"As the public in Turkey gets to know EU, and EU gets to know Turkey, it is my sincere belief that, there will be no obstacles left regarding Turkey's EU process." Recalling that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had declared the EU Project as "one of the most important modernization projects after the proclamation of Turkish Republic", Bagis said: "As standards are rising in Turkey, it is also observed that Europe is making considerable gains."

Pointing out that, Turkey would implement a more coordinated communication strategy starting from January 2010, Egemen Bagis addressed the people working in the projects and said: "The projects you are carrying out, will constitute the most important pillars of the strategy. Because you are the ones who are concerned about daily lives."

Bagis indicated that 41 municipalities, 25 vocational organizations, 28 universities and 25 youth nongovernmental organizations were taking place in the projects and that a fund over 20 million euros was granted for 119 projects.

Bagis stated that the projects were realized in the seven geographical regions of Turkey with an EU partner. He said: "The projects, in each part of Turkey, contributed substantially to the flourishing of an enthusiasm towards EU."

Bagis emphasized the importance of solidarity and unity in that process and he added that he perceived the EU process as a project owned by the young and the old, the men and the women, the civilian and the military man, the westerner and the easterner, the employer and the employee.

Bagis stated that the calls for "Civil Society Dialogue-2" Project would be made within that month. He emphasized that, within that period, they took into account the projects on the issues such as agriculture, fisheries, culture and art and he invited the project owners to contribute to the process with new projects.

Source: AA