During the press conference at the Center for European Union Education and Youth Programmes of the Ministry for EU Affairs, Bagis stated that the teaching staff that went to Europe by means of Erasmus made other contacts and thus, gave a basis for permanent and long-term projects.

Stating that the grants were provided for the universities in 76 out of 81 provinces, Bagis indicated that the other universities could not receive grants because they did not apply for the Erasmus grant or they had not been involved in the system yet. Bagis also expressed that 250 thousand persons had had the opportunity to study in European countries since 2004 through National Agency, by adding that they aimed to send 55 thousand young people abroad and the Erasmus program itself was a school.
Source: AA

Yusuf Kaner, the owner of the winner horse called “The Company” took the cup from Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis.

In his speech there, Bagis stated that Turkey was faced with the obstacles and double standards of the EU and he added: “Now thanks to the historic and courageous steps of our Government towards the EU membership, as our horse races, we strike it lucky”

Bagis underlined that Turkey’s attempt at the home stretch had provided an important psychological advantage before the EU and he said:

“To maintain the control in the EU process, reforms are our most important power. As we continue the reforms we will also continue to have the control. The ones desiring to be “the Trojan Horse” in the EU for some groups will make the EU founder, not Turkey. We hope, require and make a call through this Race that the political obstacles before Turkey are eliminated and that Turkey can run full gallop in the EU process”.
Source: AA

Minister Bagis made the opening speech and said that Turkey did not have an eye on the Balkans but its heart was set on the Balkans. Bagis indicated that the European Union was the most comprehensive peace project of the history of humanity and continued as follows: “All the Balkan countries should live in the EU, in a peaceful atmosphere with high living standards. We attach great importance to that. If we are to speak about peace in the Balkans in the 100th anniversary of Balkan Wars we should shout out from Istanbul, the city of civilizations which has been the base for the Balkans for centuries, that the EU member states should assure peace there permanently without making any discrimination among Balkan states. We keep on saying this on every occasion. Today Turkey and its Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are the safeguards of peace in the Balkans.”

The Symposium organized jointly by Bagcilar Municipality, Kirklareli University and Bagcilar Rumeli Balkan Thracian Platform on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Balkan Wars will continue for three days. Within the framework of the Symposium, scientists and opinion leaders from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, Greece, Israel, Japan and Turkey will make presentations. In the Symposium which will be held in 14 sessions different aspects of the Balkan Wars will be discussed in cause and effect relationship.

Source: AA, CHA, İHA

This article is being translated…

Source: http://www.abgs.gov.tr/index.php?p=47624&l=1

Speaking at the ceremony held on the Asian side, short before the entrance of the Bosphorus Bridge, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said that 9 May Europe Day was celebrated through different activities in Turkey, and within that framework they organized such a meaningful activity that day for the first time in Turkey. Indicating that there was no other place on earth that gave a chance to salute two continents at the same time while realising such an activity, Minister Bagis said that he had tried to do that sport for the first time the year before in Ankara, Golbasi on the occasion of Estonia’s 93rd Independence Day.

Minister Bagis said: “Like the Nordic walk, Turkey’s walk towards the European Union is also very useful for the European Union. This is a walk of humanity, innocence and equity, our walk displays our belief in peace, brotherhood, democracy, development, justice and cooperation.”

The Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, Estonian Foreign Affairs Minister Urmas Paet, the Governor of the Istanbul Huseyin Avni Mutlu, the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and representatives of foreign missions of the EU member states attended the Nordic Walk which is one of the sportive activities realised for overcoming the prejudices of EU public opinion concerning Turkey’s bid for the EU membership.

Nordic Walk was ended up on the European side of the Bosphorus Bridge.

Source: Ministry for EU Affairs, AA

Bagis, together with Minister for Development Cevdet Yilmaz, participated in “the Global Citizenship Summit” organized in Siirt by GAP Youth Houses in the region within the scope of “the GapGenc Festival” and in his speech he delivered at the summit Bagis noted that no one now withdrew itself into its shell and led a life restricted to its neighbourhood.

Indicating that the fact that guests from all around the world were being hosted in Siirt was related to the globalization of Turkey, Bagis said, “Turkey now became a country which understood its global position much better. Turkey broke the chain and as a person from Siirt, I proudly say that the centre which broke that chain has been Siirt. Because it was Siirt people who pulled the brave leader who changed ill-fate of Turkey out of the unfavourable situation he was in. They elected him and sent him to the Parliament.”

After “the Global Citizenship Summit”, Bagis went to the festival area and visited stands opened by institutions and young people coming from different countries.

Minister for EU Affairs Bagis also attended AK Party Siirt Provincial Chairmanship Congress within the scope of his Siirt programme.
Source: AA

In his press release, Minister Bagis said that 700 drivers who had arrived in Istanbul would leave for Baku, one of the most beautiful cities of the Turkish world, and they would grant their vehicles there.

Bagis said: “Who will they grant their vehicles to? To the victims who were made to leave their homes and became homeless because of the Armenian pressure in Nagorno Karabagh. That’s why; I feel great honour to be here, with Mr. Governor, and to promote such an organization of our foreign guests, who are friends of Turkey and who support Turkey’s EU accession process. The same team also came to our country after visiting various countries in Europe last year. Then, we told them that we had a message, which we had difficulty in explaining, to the Europeans who were experiencing an eclipse of reason and had some concerns. We said to them: “Go to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and leave your vehicles there”. We are happy that they did our bidding. The same team went to TRNC last year, the country which the European countries try to block and lay an embargo on. This year, they are going to Baku. In fact, they are really our friends”.

As part of the same event, Bagis inaugurated the sculpture entitled “Teşekkürler Deutchland-Danke Schön Türkiye”.

Source: AB Bakanlığı, AA

Watching the concert, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis stated that at that evening in which different tones echoed with a common melody, they constituted the pieces of the chorus of freedom.

Bagis said that the Presidential Symphony Orchestra represented the modern aspect of Turkey because the Orchestra reflected different tones in a harmony. Bagis said: “Infact, this is exactly the message we would like to give. The Presidential Symphony Orchestra is the embodiment of Turkey’s unique civilization in which different cultures live in harmony. Therefore, we expect from those, who support discrimination in Europe, to take a look at Turkey and see the symphony and the harmony. We expect sincerely from some politicians in Europe to get rid of their wrong mentalities with the help of this symphony.”

Bagis stated that European Union did not only mean the common geographies of the member states but it also symbolized the common values that they share. Bagis said: “It is for sure that, Turkey is both in Europe and European. As Turkey we say ‘more democracy’. We want to have more contemporary legal norms and a more independent and objective judicial system. We see that these principles exist in the core of the European Union and we want to become a member of the European Union.”