"WE FOLLOW THE DEVELOPMENTS CLOSELY"

Evaluating the decision taken by the European Court of Justice on visa requirements, Egemen Bagis, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator said "the most important indicator of the case is to show how important one's individual effort is and what could it do further."

Attending to the traditional Kırım Night held by Kırım Development Foundation, Bagis answered the questions of the pres on his arrival.

Upon being reminded about the ECJ decision that visas would not be required for Turkish people working in firms established in Turkey and planning to enter EU-member state to provide a service, Bagis stated:

"We need to see how the lower court and related countries will implement the decision taken by an upper court. We both as the Foreign Ministery and as the Secretariat General for EU Affairs follow the developments closely. However, I think the most important outcome of this case is to show how important one's individual effort is and what could it do further."

Reminding that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives some advice to the Turks living in Europe, State Minister Egemen Bagis said:

"We always say that we consider them as ambassodors of our country. On the other hand, we want them to be good citizens of the countries they live in and contribute to the economy, media, science and business world of the country. We want them to send their children to the best schools, and want them to be after their rights and stand for them. We always tell them; they are not second class citizens of the country they live in, they have the 70 millions of Turkish Republic and 200 millions of Turkish world behind them."

Bagis stated that Turkish citizens living abroad have achieved this sucess by their individual efforts and this is a very important indicator.

"I would like to congratulate the plaintiffs, and also the non-governmental organisations, academicians, and jurists asisting them. However I think that from now on, we have to follow the developments instead of immediately passing over the results. I have held talks with the Commission and Mr Rehn, EU Commissioner for Enlargement. We will now follow the developments and evaluate the process together. Of course as our Prime Minister always says; we will neither be cheated nor cheat. We will follow the developments and we will certainly protect the rights of our kinsmen going Europe to work, the rights of our citizens and our people living in Europe.