The correspondent of the Anadolu (AA) agency studied the conditions and reasons for blocking the dialogue on “visa liberalization”, which is one of the important topics of the relationship between Turkey and the EU, as well as the last situation from the point of view of the parties.
Relations that have long been characterized by a low level of mutual trust and the dynamics of interaction only if necessary, and not in accordance with strategic purposes, began to come to life.
After the results of the presidential elections in Turkey, held on May 28, statements from Brussels about the “importance of cooperation with Turkey” turned into attempts to evaluate a continuation of relations in a “strategic and promising” manner.
At his last meeting, the meeting of the EU leaders, the European Commission, asked the European Commission to prepare a report in the light of election results for discussion in the fall.
In July, at the NATO summit in Vilnius (Lithuania), opinions on the “duty” of Sweden to support the process of Turkey’s entry into the EU, including the liberalization of the visa regime. The statement of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “Poppy the Turkish path to the EU”, supported by NATO members, activated the line of Brussels and Ankara.
On July 20, these issues were discussed at a meeting of foreign ministers of the EU countries. Applications of the EU Supreme EU Josep Boralrev that such requirements of Ankara as the liberalization of the visa regime and update the Customs Union are “included among the issues on the agenda of negotiations”, switched the attention of politicians for the autumn period.
– the Turkish side expressed its expectations
In his statement made after a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on July 24, President Erdogan expressed the expectations of Turkey and stated that they were brought to the attention of the EU leadership.
Erdogan drew attention to Turkey’s expectations: “Now we want to achieve progress on such basic issues as activating the process of full membership in the European Union, updating the Customs Union agreement and liberalization of the visa regime for our citizens.” >
“I hope that soon we will see the positive results of the steps that will meet the interests of both our country and the European Union,” said the President of Turkey.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that on July 28, President Erdogan raised the bar of negotiations between Sweden and Turkey from the level of negotiations between these countries to a new strategic level and emphasized that the EU should include reasonable fears and demands of Turkey on the agenda .
noting that the liberalization of the visa regime was one of the main issues, Fidan added that during the last NATO summit, the corresponding “roadmap” was developed.