FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS AND VISA ISSUES

Speaking at the international conference titled "Free Movement of Persons between Turkey and EU Countries and Visa Issues" held by Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and European Forum Alpbach Turkey, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said not only Turkey's governmental institutions but also its 72 million people, non-governmental organizations and all its institutions and agencies would be within the EU when Turkey becomes an EU member.

Stating that Turkey would overcome all the obstacles one by one, Bagis continued his speech as follows:

"Turkey's biggest obstacle on its road to the EU is prejudices. As a consequence, we encounter a visa problem; however we try to solve those problems patiently and will continue to do so. Steps taken regarding the visa issue have changed the European society's approach to Turkey and will continue to do so. The situation regarding the visa issue is unfair. The visa requirement applied to Turkish citizens is not legal. It is not acceptable to have visa problems with a country which has close relations for 52 years and which will become a member in the future. The visa requirement will be removed at the end. The visa requirement isn't possible in terms of legal and conscientious aspects. However, at first, the prejudices should be removed. We have to explain our European friends that Turkey doesn't want to be a burden to the EU, but rather take over it."

Indicating that no political figure in the history of the Republic had contributed to the EU process as much as Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan did, Bagis said that they were still facing resistance to the EU but would continue their struggle.

Reminding that the implementation of biometric passports would start as of the 1st of June, Bagis stated that Turkey also needed a civilian security organization at the borders and that work towards this issue was continuing.

Stating that another technical problem Turkey needed to solve in the EU process was the signing of readmission agreement, Bagis explained that both his ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were working intensely on the issue.

Bagis said "The EU will face the most critical test of bona fides in its history. Then we will all together find out how far is the EU's ethics."

Helene Flautre, the co-chairwoman of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee emphasized that she believed that the prejudices in Turkey and the EU could be removed and cooperation could be ensured and that such meetings also paved way for it.

Source: AA