EU PROCESS IS THE ENGINE OF TURKEY’S REFORMS

Minister for European Union Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Egemen Bagis stated that for Turkey, the core of the European Union process was the reform process and he added: “we do not have any other alternative to the EU process”.

Bagis answered the questions of the press members in Ankara and upon a question regarding the recent discussions on Turkey’s EU membership objective and on the statements of writer, Orhan Pamuk, Bagis said: “Turkey has not shelved its EU membership objective. Europe has to face with the problems it constantly postpones and lays aside, and therefore, this hinders Turkey’s EU membership process.

Minister for EU Affairs, Bagis said:

"Postponing the EU process is not in question for us. All the matters shelved in Turkey for a long time have been dealt by means of the reforms of the EU process. Also from now on, reforms will continue to be our top priority. With our determination in the reform process, we will solve all the matters shelved, one by one."

Bagis said that they focused on the process rather than the result and he said that reaching and even going beyond the EU standards is the main target of us, rather than being a member of the EU.

Bagis mentioned about the recent statements of writer, Orhan Pamuk and said that Pamuk was an esteemed Turkish writer, known by the world and that they attached importance to his opinions and his support for Turkey’s EU process. Bagis added:

"However, I do not grant him in that the EU Project has failed. European Union is still a peace project uniting 27 members around the common values. Nevertheless, today EU is just a continental peace project. With Turkey’s membership this continental project will become a global one. Therefore, we expect that Orhan Pamuk and other internationally famous writers emphasize the importance of the project and encourage the process. It is not the idea of the EU that collapses but the political approach exploiting the values on which the European Union is founded. Today, Turkey challenges with this political approach, with self-confidence. "

Bagis said that Turkey’s courageous and decisive stand in the reform process has its roots in its commitment to the democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms. He added: “There is no reason in postponing a historic project that respects the freedoms and improves the democratic standards of Turkey – Turkey has not shelved the EU process, which is the engine of reforms but the political approach not respecting the values and freedoms of the nation.”

Bagis said that the matters regarding the Turkish bourgeoisie, which were criticized by Orhan Pamuk could be handled among the matters shelved by our nation and he said:

"Especially our intellectuals should not fall into this trap. The assumptions like ‘EU process has been shelved’ or ‘EU Project has collapsed’ are generally a part of the campaign carried out by people who want Turkey to take a step back from the reform process and give up its decisiveness towards the advanced democracy.  The reaction of our nation to the irrational policies of politicians lacking vision is reflected as the reaction to the reform process. As it has been up till now, our government will continue to carry out these campaigns without causing any disappointment.  For Turkey, the core of the European Union process is the reform process and we do not have any other alternative to the EU process."