GDANSK
Turkey's Development Minister Cevdet Yilmaz said on Thursday that economic policies and steps taken in democracy, rule of law and basic rights brought Turkey to its present position.
Cevdet Yilmaz addressed the representatives of the European business and politics worlds at a gala dinner of the "European Forum for New Ideas" being organized in Poland's Sopot city.
"Turkey experienced serious crisis during the 1990s. Turkey went through great change after 2001. The period of the Justice and Development (AK) Party was one that reflected the will of the Turkish people for change," Yilmaz noted.
"The administration of Turkey is one with stability. Turkey went through the global crisis successfully. While employment figures declined in many countries, Turkey was a country that managed to grow around 9 percent annually," Yilmaz said.
"Turkey demonstrated economic success at a time when Europe was going through stagnation and the Middle East as well as North Africa experienced political transformation. We will continue reforms in Turkey to bring the country to a better position in 2023 (when the Republic of Turkey will celebrate 100th anniversary of its foundation)," Yilmaz underlined.
"The latest economic crisis has shown that we need to discuss the future of the EU altogether. Europe is in a pessimistic atmosphere now," Yilmaz indicated.
"80 percent of the 120 billion USD of direct investments that came to Turkey in the past decade were from Europe. While Turkey-EU negotiations continue with a slow pace, Turkey will continue to make reforms," Yilmaz stated.
"I believe that the EU would notice that Turkey is a country with a principle of 'win-win'," Yilmaz stressed.
"With its dynamic structure, Turkey is an open market to global businesspeople. We do not discriminate among companies, be they are local or foreign. We have adopted laws to end discrimination between local and foreign companies. Every company that invests in Turkey is our company. There are great and crucial opportunities in Turkey," Yilmaz noted.
Minister Yilmaz also talked about Turkey's incentive system to the businesspeople in Sopot and extended an invitation to them to visit Turkey in order to personally see the opportunities Turkey offers.
During the dinner, Minister Yilmaz talked with former EU commissioner in charge of enlargement Gunther Verheugen and one of the world's leading strategists Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski.
Turkey's EU membership a chance for world
Minister Yilmaz said Turkey's EU membership would be a chance for the world.
Development Minister Cevdet Yilmaz delivered a speech at a session of the European Forum for New Ideas held in Sopot city of Poland.
"Turkey has been taking steps to reach its goals," he said.
Yilmaz said the EU should take right steps in regard to Turkey's adhesion, stating that the country's EU accession process should be assessed with objective criteria.
European countries have been suffering from economic stagnation, he said, adding that but visa was required for Turkish businessmen.
"Lifting of visa procedure (for Turkish businessmen) will be a very positive move," he said.
Polish American political scientist Zbigniew Brzezinski, who participated in the forum, said that Turkey had a geostrategic importance, stating that the United States attached a great importance to Turkey.
