Good to see a 'real' social democrat in Turkey, EU minister tells SPD chief

ANKARA – Anatolia News Agency

Leader of Germany's Social Democratic party (SPD) Sigmar Gabriel (L) meets Turkey's EU Minister Egemen Bagis at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara February 28, 2013. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Turkey’s EU Minister Egemen Bağış mocked social democrats in Turkey today as he received Sigmar Gabriel, head of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in the capital of Ankara.

“It is nice to see a real social democrat because we don’t have any in Turkey,” Bağış told Gabriel. “I hope the message of social democracy that you have brought will have an impact on our opposition leader,” referring to Gabriel’s meeting with the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

Bağış, who hosted Gabriel in Turkish Parliament, said Turkish authorities are powerful and hardworking. “We can start negotiations then,” Gabriel responded.

The EU minister expressed his willingness for the German social democrats to take power and accept Turkey into the European Union. The two politicians shared views regarding Turkey’s political agenda, including the Kurdish issue and the Constitution-making process.