State Minister and EU chief negotiator Egemen Bagis defined EU membership as the most important modernization project of Turkey since the foundation of the Republic.
“Today, Turkey is a country walking on the path to the EU with determination and will do so,” Bagis said during a panel discussion on “Future of Turkey-EU Relations and Expectations” in the city of Eskisehir.
Bagis said Turkey was experiencing significant changes on its path to the union and was more democratic, transparent, free, prosperous and rich today.
He noted that in December Turkey and the EU would start accession negotiations on environment, one of the most difficult and technical issues. Bagis said Turkey had prepared a 1,500-page environment strategy paper to open negotiations on environment and regulations to prevent fuel from causing air pollution.