EUROPEAN INTEGRATION PROCESS PROJECT BURSA ACTIVITIES

The closing meeting of the “Activities in Bursa in the European Integration Process” Project supported under the scope of “Provinces Preparing for the EU Programme” carried out by the Ministry for EU Affairs and the First EU Advisory and Steering Committee Meeting of 2012 were held with the participation of Egemen Bagis, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator and Sahabettin Harput, Governor of Bursa Province. 

In the speech he made during the meeting, Minister Bagis, stating that EU Accession Process of Turkey was being a very long and challenging one, said “The narrow-minded politicians in Europe are doing their best to stand in our way, but believe me, while they are planning to make a score against Turkey, instead, they are constantly losing by themselves. At the end, this is us who make the ‘crocodile walk’ celebration”.

Bagis, stressing that EU reforms were significant in terms of the development, democratization, enrichment and transparency of Turkey, continued his speech as follows:

“In 2023, we will make Turkey one of 10 most powerful countries of the world. The strength we need to make this happen is already imbedded in our noble blood. We are a political movement with the understanding to be hard-working. We have to work in order to take this republic founded by Atatürk and his fellow fighters further and to make their dreams come true.”

Egemen Bagis indicated that Turkey, despite of some difficulties, was in such a better condition in terms of economy than most of the EU Member States. Bagis, recalling the “One Minute” interruption by the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan 3 years ago in Davos, said:

''Our Prime Minister said “One minute”, “I will not come to Davos ever again”. Last year the organizers of Davos came to Turkey. They got an appointment from our Prime Minister with the help of a lot of people. They said “Mr. Prime Minister, we are speechless in front of the recent performance of Turkey. You told that you would never come to Davos ever again, but can Davos be organized in Turkey?” Upon this, our Prime Minister said “In our culture we do not close the door to our guests. You are welcome to make such an organization.” Now, for the first time in its 40-year history, World Economic Forum will be held in İstanbul in 4-6 June 2012. This is the first time for the international meeting which will bring the East and the West, the South and the North together, to be held in somewhere other than Davos. This is the result of Turkey’s dignity.

Source: AA