NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY AND CHILDREN'S DAY CELEBRATED

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Egemen Bagis delivered a written message on the occasion of April 23rd, National Sovereignty and Children's Day.

In his message Minister Bagis noted that the most precious heritage to the next generations would be a more democratic, modern and prosperous Turkey and that they were making efforts for this purpose undauntedly. Bagis also said that Turkish Grand National Assembly, with its heavy schedule concerning the EU Accession process, was the greatest assurance of democracy on the course to leave this heritage to the next generations.

Reminding that 91st anniversary of the foundation of Turkish Grand National Assembly was being celebrated and that the Grand Assembly was the frame of democracy and it was the place where national will was manifested, Minister Bagis said, "Great Leader Ataturk had granted children this very important day and he declared it as the first festival just for children. This clearly puts forth the importance attached to children in our country."

Bagis continued as follows:

"We are hopeful for our future because instead of learning dogmatic knowledge such as our leader Ataturk was chasing the crows in his uncle's farm at the age of 7, a farsighted generation is being grown learning our visionary leader's thoughts during 1920s (A union of Balkan countries must be founded and this must be transformed into the European Union in time) and we are hopeful for our future because we became a country making reforms on the way to be a member of the Union which Ataturk had dreamt of and our reforms became a source of inspiration for the countries of the region.

Stating that European Union Accession process through the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was mainly the project of children and the youngsters rather than everyone, Bagis indicated that the most precious heritage to the next generations would be a more democratic, modern and prosperous Turkey and that they were making efforts for this purpose undauntedly.

Bagis said, "Our august Assembly, with its heavy schedule concerning the EU Accession process, is the greatest assurance of democracy on the course to leave this heritage to the next generations." He expressed that the path to the EU membership passes through one point only and that was the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

Egemen Bagis said, "As a person who was born on this very special day and got his name (which means sovereign) from April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children's Day, I celebrate the anniversary of our Grand Assembly, and wish all our children a happy Children's Day."