EU Minister Bağış responds to Greek Cypriot deputy’s remarks

ANKARA

Hadjigeorgiou had described Minister Egemen Bağış (above) as a small salesman who was “waiting idle as he has no customers” on Dec. 5 DHA Photo

Turkish EU Minister Egemen Bağış has been quick to respond to remarks from a Greek Cypriot member of the European Parliament (EP) that likened him to “a small salesman,” saying Takis Hadjigeorgiou’s words are “null and void.”

“The remarks made by the deputy of a country that is a null and void to us are also themselves null and void,” Bağış said in a written statement.

“Still, a guest to us is a guest. A Greek Cypriot deputy came to our country as a guest. Usually for us the guest comes with richness, but I guess this one came with rudeness,” he added.

Hadjigeorgiou had described Bağış as a small salesman who was “waiting idle as he has no customers” on Dec. 5, during an EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee that turned into an ugly slanging match between committee members.

“[EU Minister] Egemen Bağış reminds me of a small salesman. He is waiting idle as he has no customers. There is a saying in Turkish: ‘The idle shopkeeper weighs blah blah.’ I hope you accept this as a joke,” he said while addressing the committee meeting.

Hadjigeorgiou’s words came in response to remarks by Bağış, who had likened Greek Cypriots to “a stubborn mule.” Bağış was not in the meeting hall when the Greek Cypriot’s remarks were delivered.