BUDAPEST
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkish and Hungarian officials were given instructions to ease visa procedures for the citizens of both countries.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban, Prime Minister Erdogan stated that preparations were being made for easier visas with Hungary.
"We want to lift all obstacles for our businesspeople, students, academicians, artists and athletes," Erdogan noted.
"We have partnership with Hungary in the military and political fields. Our economic and commercial relations move forward every passing day. I believe that we can have highly important partnerships in the cultural sphere as our infrastructures are very suitable for this," Erdogan noted.
"My counterpart Orban and I discussed Turkey-Hungary relations and where we are headed until 2015," Erdogan said.
"I have to express with pleasure that there is no political problem between our two countries. By making use of this fact, we can develop the upcoming process in a different way," Erdogan indicated.
"Our cooperation in the military field is known. We are together in NATO. Hungary has always been with us in our EU process. I thank Hungary on behalf of my nation and myself," Erdogan stated.
"We had a trade volume of 1.7 billion USD in 2012. Our target is to reach 5 billion USD by 2015," Erdogan said.
"From a cultural perspective, the opening of a Yunus Emre Culture Center in Hungary is an important step. We have rented a building for the center and it will be operational very soon," Erdogan said.
"Likewise, we would be happy to see an Hungarian cultural center in Turkey," Erdogan also stated.
Hungarian-Turkish Business Forum held in Budapest
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday said that Turkish businesspeople could have confidence in Hungary.
Speaking at the Hungarian-Turkish Business Forum in the Hungarian capital of Budapest on Tuesday, Orban stated that Turkish businesspeople could do business in Hungary.
"Likewise, Turkey could receive Hungarian investors. We want to develop trade relations with Turkey," Orban noted.
"I am highly pleased to be with someone who is very valuable and successful," Orban said referring to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
"The person I am talking about is Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan. I salute him for making very good decisions at very difficult times and for boldly carrying Turkey away from an economic crisis," Orban stressed.
"Turkish market gives confidence to Hungary. We attach high importance to trade relations between Hungary and Turkey," Orban noted.
"When we look at Turkey, we see excellence in trade. Your leader began before the 21st century and continued to work successfully up until today. Turkey keeps growing while the EU is regressing," Orban said.
"Just like the Turkish economy, the Hungarian economy gives confidence after serious developments. We look at Turkey as a model for our tax system, decreasing public expenses, employment, balance of payments, salaries, foreign trade and economic growth," Orban indicated.
"By making investments in Hungary, Turkish businesspeople can open up to Central Europe," Orban underlined.
"Hungary is the EU's most successful trade center. When you come to Hungary, you can reach Central European countries," Orban noted.
"Hungary has been badly hurt by communism. The Turks can thank God for not experiencing communism. Communism killed the private sector in our country. When democracy began 20 years ago in Hungary, we had no capital or educated work force. Everything now is different and better. Upcoming years will be better for the EU and Hungary," Orban also said.
Turkish premier addresses Hungarian businesspeople
Erdogan on Tuesday addressed Hungarian businesspeople the second stop of the Turkish premier's three-nation Eastern European tour.
"Turkey has a lot to give to Europe. Some of the European leaders fail to see or they do not want to see it. But our friends with vision here in Hungary see it and they extend major support to Turkey," Erdogan said.
Erdogan said Turkey's exports to Hungary totalled $500 million in 2012, adding that imports from Hungary were $1.5 billion in 2011.
"We have to materialize our true potential. We agreed that if we try hard we can boost our trade volume to $5 billion by 2015," he said.
Erdogan said Turkey and Hungary had the potential for cooperation in automotive, information technologies, communication, tourism, construction and energy.
Erdogan said Turkey had compensated shrinkage in its exports to Europe with new markets in Africa, Latin America and Asia, adding that new markets contributed $20 billion to Turkey's foreign trade volume.
Erdogan said Turkish entrepreneurs in Europe own 140,000 businesses, employing 640 thousand people with an annual turnover of more than 50 billion euros.
Turkish premier meets Hungarian president
Erdogan met with Hungarian President Janos Ader in capital Budapest, the second stop of Turkish premier's three-nation Eastern European tour.
The meeting at the Sandor Palace was held closed to news media.
Turkey's European Union Minister and Chief Negotiator for accession talks Egemen Bagis, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz and Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu also attended the meeting.
Erdogan later laid a wreath at an Ottoman cemetery for soldiers who died in the First World War.
Erdogan said EU failed to live up to its word
European Union over what he said the Union's failure to keep its promises to Turkey.
"One of the European Union's fundamental principles is to remain loyal to promises. But unfortunately certain [EU] leaders have broken that loyalty and set extra conditions for Turkey in its accession process," Erdogan told students at the Hungary's ELTE University in capital Budapest, the second stop of his three-nation Eastern European tour.
Erdogan also accused the EU for "acting on ideological impulses" in taking new members to the European club, countries which he described as "lagging behind Turkey in economy and in rights and freedoms far beyond comparison."
"One of those is southern Cyprus, which is not a state but an administration. And there is no such country as Cyprus. Because there is a greenline there. To the north there is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. And its new name in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation is Cyprus Turkish State, which is how it is called also in the Annan Plan," he said.
"They may take Turkey in or they may not. But I want you know one thing: Turkey has formally applied for membership in 1963, that makes 50 years. No EU member has ever been subjected to such a treatment," Erdogan said.
Erdogan said Turkey's EU membership would add "a new vision and a new horizon" to the Union and it would offer an opportunity to "understand the Middle East and Northern Africa and constitute a bridge between the 1.5 billion Muslims and the EU. Turkey's membership would be an antidote to the rising racism in Europe."
