Minister of EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis underlined that the Turkey-EU relations gained a new momentum following the new chapter that was opened after three and a half years, the most objective and balanced Progress Report published in the recent years, and the latest concrete steps taken in the visa liberalization process.
Speaking at the 73rd meeting of the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee held at the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Bagis said, "We can finally say that we got our visa for a visa-free Europe. Turkish citizens will be able to travel to EU countries with no requirement in three to three and a half years."
Underlining that visa exemption would be a just as effective step as the opening of all chapters in negotiations with the European Commission, and Turkey's accession to EU, Bagis said: "Fortunately, all those countries who have been making it difficult for Turkish citizens to get a visa have finally realized that they have been putting themselves in a difficult situation. The European Union should be the destination of friendship without borders, not of confinement. Turkey wishes to see and be a member of a union which does not isolate itself by putting up visa walls, but instead opens its doors to friendship and cooperation".
"We are following a zero-problem policy with our neighbors and a zero-barrier policy with the EU. Visa exemption for Turkish citizens is more than just a wish, it is a right.", Bagis continued.
Stressing the need to increase communication between the people of EU member countries and Turkey, as well as the need to remove mutual prejudices and misunderstandings, Bagis said: "We will see that, once the visa walls break down, many walls of prejudice in Europe will break down too. Because the opening of doors would mean the opening of hearts and minds as well. Therefore, it is very important to break down the visa walls in order to remove the walls in minds."
Bagis also noted that while the opening of the 22nd chapter in the EC negotiation process was a significant development, it was not enough, and no more time should be wasted to open new chapters for negotiation, in particular 23rd and 24th chapters.
Reminding that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would visit Brussels on January 21, Bagis said: "We believe that this visit will be a milestone, and the beginning of a new chapter in Turkey-EU relations."
"Those who were born when Turkey first applied for EU membership are 54 years old today. No citizen of any other country has had to wait this long, and endure such a fate. No other country has been subjected to the double standard Turkey has been faced with. It has finally been understood that hindering Turkey-EU relations does not benefit anybody. Having said that, let us hold hands and walk together to the light at the end of the tunnel."
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