Egemen Bağış challenged the EU

Bağış, who gave an interview to the Italian Repubblica newspaper, answered questions about the asylum crisis between Turkey and the EU. Replying the journalist Marco Ansaldo’s question "Is there a plan B for the European Union to take the asylum-seeker management from Turkey and give it to Greece?", Egemen Bağış said "No, we didn’t have the slightest sense of such a project. But I think that most of the Syrian and Iraqi immigrants will be glad to reach the European territory to continue their way towards Germany and France,". Answering the question querying what would be Turkey’s reaction if the EU really considered an alternative plan”, he added "If immigrants continue their way in the European direction, this is not a negative thing for the Turkish people and the government. From this point of view: As a result, what we want is the happiness and prosperity of our Syrian and Iraqi neighbors. "

EU never kept its promises 

At the inquiry of the journalist, whether Turkey would be annoyed if 6 billion euros promised to Turkey for the project will be sent to Athens instead, Bağış said, "We never had a request from the European Union to give us money for our citizens! We wanted this amount for the needs of more than 3 million Syrians and Iraqis who escaped from tyrants and found a safe haven within our borders. We have already spent at least 15 billion euros as of now. The European Union did not hold any of the promises it made, "he said.

Concerning whether there is any possibility of cooperation between Turkey and Greece, the two countries that suffer the most from the immigrants issue, Bağış nformed " It is a perfect time to put aside the historical differences and to recreate the spirit of cooperation foreseen by farsighted leaders Ataturk and Venizelos... However, it is necessary to stand against terrorism and persuade other countries that the real source of the crisis is the cruelty of the Assad regime ".

It's time for the US to accept Gülen is a traitor

Also responding the question of what might happen if the US did not returnFethullahGülen to Turkey, Egemen Bağış noted“It is time for the US to acknowledge that Gülenis not a man of honor, but a traitor. He planned and made a coup through his network. If the US will ignore Turkey, it may face the risk of losing an ally in the future. "