EP'S REPORT IS NOT BALANCED AND DOES NOT REFLECT THE REALITIES

Referring to the European Parliament's latest report on Turkey, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Egemen Bagis expressed that the report was not the one released by the European Commission and known by the public as "the progress report", and said that the report was not balanced and did not include the realities.

Following the approval of the report, Bagis replied the questions of the journalists and said: "It is a great contradiction to criticize Turkey concerning the progress in Ergenekon case and coup d'état plans on one hand, and on the other hand, to claim that the detentions within such framework are deteriorating the freedom of press". Bagis continued as follows:

"There are still some presuppositions and prejudices regarding the Cyprus issue and freedom of press. It is impossible for us to accept these."

Pointing out that the report was not a binding one, Bagis indicated that the actual situation in Cyprus was too obvious to ignore, and the efforts to put the blame on Turkey would be pointless.

Bagis continued his words and said that as it had been mentioned by the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the previous year's report, EP preferred to turn a blind eye on the current situation on the island.

During his visit in Elazig, Minister Bagis made an explanation about the report and said that there could be some critics that they should regard, the report consisted of articles compromised following the negotiations between different political groups in EP, and he pointed out that the report was not balanced and did not include the realities.

Source: AA