MINISTER FOR EU AFFAIRS AND CHIEF NEGOTIATOR EGEMEN BAGIS MET WITH NGO LEADERS IN IZMIR

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis,indicating that the decision of the suit brought by two truck drivers regarding the visa problem was a very important development for 4 million Turkish citizens living in Europe, said: "I discussed the issue with Olli Rehn, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement. We are following the developments and working together in order to decide how to carry on with the forthcoming process."

Bagis, came together with NGO leaders and businessmen in Cesme district of Izmir and he said in the speech he made there that Cesme was very precious for Turkey and though the district could be one of the rising stars of the country in tourism sector, it was in a situation which it did not deserve.

Indicating that Cesme had a waste water problem and some other environmental problems, Bagis stated that they had to solve those problems. He said: "As the Minister for EU Affairs, I admit that we can not get access to the EU before solving such problems. However, we are not going to do this only for EU accession because we believe that we have to leave these places to our children as places which are as clean as they were when our parents left them to us."

Stating that Turkey was administered quite well despite the global crisis, regional conflicts and internal political problems, Bagis continued as follows:

"Despite all these, thank God, the inflation decreased to 8% from 40%. Loan interest which was 69% is now 13%. One third of the classrooms of the schools in Turkey have been constructed in the last 7 years. For the first time in the history of our republic, the budget of the ministry of education has exceeded the budget of the Ministry of Defence. Thousands of kilometres of double highways have been constructed. Thousands of residences have been constructed. Considering that we have accomplished these all in 7 years the things we can do in Turkey in the future can be comprehended.

Indicating that Turkey was once one of the worst countries in international relations which was in bad relations with its neighbours, and within an ace of having a war with them, Bagis reminded that commercial relations with the neighbouring countries have been developed significantly and Turkey got the votes of 152 countries of 192 for its membership of UN Security Council.

Bagis inaugurated in Cesme where he came to attend some inaugurations and make some contacts, the Sulbiye-Muslum Family and Society Health Centre constructed by a benevolent, Mr. Arif Barata, in the name of his father and mother, and touched on the developments accomplished in Turkey within the last seven years in the speech he made there.