TURKEY IS THE FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY IN EUROPE

Indicating that Turkey now played on a different platform, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said, "Our country which was once called the sick man of Europe has now become the fastest growing economy in Europe."

In his speech he delivered at the awards ceremony of the "Business Plan Contest" of the M.I.T. Enterprise Forum Turkey, organized with the contributions of Toyota and led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which was held in Suada Club in Istanbul, Bagis stated that knowledge and having a background in something were now the most recognized instruments in the world and said,

"While the EU of which we are trying to be a member grew 1.5 percent in 2010, Turkey achieved a growth rate of 8.9 percent in 2010 - six times more than the Europe's average. While Germany, the most successful economy of Europe, grew 3 percent, we tripled this growth rate. However, there is one more difference between Turkey and Germany. The average age of Germany is 45 and ours is 28. I am currently the youngest minister in the cabinet; however, 70 percent of our country's population is younger than me."

Bagis stated that one third of the schools now in service in Turkey were constructed in the last 9 years and there were computer laboratories and Internet connection even in the mountain villages of the country.

Noting that the number of such activities had to be increased if Turkey was desired to become one of the leading 10 economies in the world, Bagis said, "That Turkey hosts such prestigious organizations of the world means that the world has started to understand the potential of Turkey."

Source: AA