NEWS FROM TÜRKİYE

Dunya - Speaking in Ankara at a meeting on the translation of the European Union acquis and Turkish legislation, Egemen Bagis, the Turkish State Minister and chief negotiator for the EU talks, reiterated Türkiye's determination to join the EU. Stating that no country, which started accession talks, has ever been refused eventually for the EU membership, Bagis said Türkiye is continuing with its determined reform efforts to this end. Saying that when the accession talks end successfully, Turkish will become one of the Union's official languages, Bagis added that no one should doubt Türkiye's European identity. "Türkiye has already been a part and had an active presence in the European institutions," he said. "It joined the customs union with the EU member countries nearly 15 years ago. There are millions of Turks living in the European countries and they make remarkable contributions to the economic, social and cultural lives of their host countries." On the outspoken French opposition to Türkiye's bid, Bagis said, "They have the right to oppose Türkiye's EU membership bid; however Türkiye is resolved to continue its accession talks, which started with the approval of the 27 members of the Union. Türkiye has the necessary determination to continue accession talks without considering such opposition." In related news, the number of the Turkish entrepreneurs living in the EU has reached 131,500, and their current investment stock presently totals approximately EUR 14.4 billion.