26th REFORM MONITORING GROUP MEETING

The 26th meeting of the Reform Monitoring Group, which was established in 2003, was hosted in Ordu by Idris Naim Sahin, Minister of Interior, with the participation of Sadullah Ergin, Minister of Justice, Egemen Bagis, Minister for European Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Davutoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Afif Demirkiran, the Co-chairman of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee.

In the meeting “Positive Agenda” which was initiated through a kick-off meeting on 17 May 2012 with the aim of accelerating the negotiation process on chapters that are politically blocked was discussed.

Working Group Meeting on Chapter 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) was held on the same day. This meeting was defined as the first important meeting with the European Commission on exclusively Chapter 23 since 2006.

In the joint press conference held after the 26th RMG meeting Bagis pointed to the determination of Turkey regarding the reforms and he stated that Turkey’s process of democratization, transparency and prosperity and the EU reform process would not be reversed.

Press Declaration of the 26th Reform Monitoring Group Meeting