GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATES 2010 BUDGET

The 2010 budget of the Secretariat General for EU Affairs was discussed in the Turkish Parliamentary General Assembly.

Speaking at the General Assembly, Egemen Bagis, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator addressed the opponent parties: "Let's make use of this year, in which there won't be any elections. Let's cooperatively implement the EU laws in order to make Turkey more democratic, liberal, modern and transparent."

Pointing that 225 laws have been enacted and 1100 secondary regulations have been issued in the TGNA since 2002, Bagis said owing to those developments, Turkey has become a wealthier, more democratic, prosperous and modern country.

Mentioning the EU Progress Report also, Bagis continued:

"The Progress Report that has been released a few weeks before points out many important issues. While the previous reports were mentioning the tortures, human rights violations and unsolved murders, this year, Turkey's developments regarding reforms were being mentioned and supported. This is a very important development for our parliament members; however, it doesn't mean that we agree on everything written in the report. Yet, it is good that those who criticized us in the past upon some shameful incidents no more continue their criticism."

Bagis referred to the fact that as a consequence of the amendments made in article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, only 8 cases were opened with the permission of the Minister of Justice this year. Indicating that some of the issues mentioned in the Progress Report were dealt with the Reform Monitoring Group and the political committee, Bagis said that important developments would be achieved with many draft laws waiting in the agenda of the Parliament.

Mentioning the Law on the Organization and Functions of the Secretariat General for EU Affairs, Bagis said Turkey had experienced difficulties in the past about presenting the ongoing reforms. Bagis pointed that under the framework of the new law, a new unit was established which prepared a strategy of civil society and communication. Indicating that they would make great efforts to explain the EU and Turkey's probable contributions to the EU, Bagis said they expected the support of the Parliament about the issue.

Stating that the EU process was a state policy, Bagis addressed the opponent to continue their support on the coming EU harmonization laws: "There are so many things to do together. Though some EU countries have different opinions about Turkey's accession, we have to work together to carry out the necessary legal amendments in order to reach the EU standards."

Pointing that Turkey was part of the solution, not of the problem, Bagis emphasized that the Lisbon Treaty ended the uncertainties within the EU.

Mentioning the Dicle and the Fırat also, Bagis said those issues neither took place in any negotiation position document nor were discussed in the meetings and added "Turkey's sovereignty rights, interests and its being the regional and global power cannot be changed by anyone."

Source: AA