Brussels/Luxembourg, 21/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 19 October, Turkey's Minister for European Affairs Egemen Bagis said that “it is not possible” for Turkey to understand the blockages in the negotiation process. Commenting on the European Commission's progress report published on 16 October, Bagis added that the Commission admits that “the impasse in negotiations is not a reflection on Turkey's technical deficiencies but on vague attitudes adopted by some member states over the course of the process”. “The most important point is that the Commission underlines the need to launch negotiations in chapters 23 and 24 as soon as possible”, Bagis added. “It is inadmissible that the opening criteria for these chapters, for which the screening process was completed in 2006, have not been communicated to us, despite the fact that we have taken crucial measures”, he continued. He stated that the Commission's call to the EU member states to communicate to Turkey the opening criteria for these chapters might “constitute a significant development”.
Bagis welcomed the fact that Turkey's overall reforms and developments had been taken into account in the Commission's report, and also hailed the fact the report recognises “in words and spirit, that Turkey's current level of democratisation, human rights and economic development is undoubtedly closer than ever to the EU's standards”. “It should be noted that the EU recognises the progress made in chapters 32 and 33 since the last report”, Bagis added. He stated that Turkey will use the report's “positive criticism” as a “guide” for the period to come.
Bagis stated that for “the first time, the opening of a chapter [22 on regional policy] has been linked to the progress report”, unlike with the 15 previous reports. “The fact that this report is free from any negative assessment that can prevent the opening of chapter 22 is the most important indicator of Turkey's determination in the reform process”, he added (our translation throughout). (CG/transl.fl)