Türkiye’s EU bid to boost economy: Erdoğan

Hande Fırat - VILNIUS/ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has underlined that Türkiye’s continued process to join the European Union has an important effect on the Turkish economy and informed that there is a positive atmosphere in Brussels for the revitalization of the bilateral ties including on the modernization of the customs union and visa liberalization.

“There is a positive view about the revitalization of our accession process to the EU. We will accelerate the negotiations for the modernization of the customs union that will have a multiplying effect on the Turkish economy. I also believe that we will observe progress on visa liberalization,” Erdoğan told journalists traveling with him on his return from Vilnius where he attended the NATO leaders’ summit between July 11 and 12.

Erdoğan had talks with EU Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as well as with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Spain, the prominent countries of the EU.

Türkiye has been a candidate country to the EU since 1999 and negotiating to enter the club since 2005. But its accession has been stalled due to political problems and deteriorated human rights performance of Türkiye especially after the 2016 coup attempt at the hands of FETÖ.

Erdoğan said he dispatched his chief foreign policy advisor, Akif Çağatay Kılıç, to Brussels for talks on how to revive the accession process of Türkiye.

“He will raise the customs union and visa liberalization. I believe these will result positively for Türkiye. Ursula von der Leyen also positively talked on these issues,” Erdoğan said. Türkiye and the EU enjoy the customs union since 1996 but both sides have long been discussing to expand the scope of it.

Erdoğan recalled that the EU Council has instructed the EU Commission and high commissioner for security and foreign policy, Josep Borrell to prepare a report on ties with Türkiye. Describing this as a positive move, Erdoğan said “I expect the report to be prepared in a positive and forward-looking manner.”

Türkiye’s principle based on win-win scenario

Erdoğan recalled that Türkiye has always kept its promises and hopes to gain results from the negotiations with the EU on the basis of the win-win principle.

“Steps regarding the promises [should be] about ending the terrorist activities and extradition of terrorists from these countries. We will launch our works in order to keep our promises as a result of the positive work by the EU,” he stated.

Biden positive on F-16s sale

On a question about his meeting with United States President Joe Biden, Erdoğan described Türkiye and the U.S. as two strategic partners and allies. “Our institutions are in contact as part of the Strategic Mechanism that we have decided to establish with Mr. Biden in 2021. Thanks to this mechanism, dynamism has been injected to our existing dialogue channels,” he said.

His bilateral meeting with Biden was “very, very positive,” Erdoğan said, stressing that the Biden administration is pursuing a very positive stance for the sale of F-16s to Türkiye. He said talks between the two sides’ foreign and defense ministers will continue in resolving the issue.

Erdoğan to visit Gulf countries

On a question about his planned trip to the Gulf countries that includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, Erdoğan said his wish is to further strengthen Türkiye’s ties in all domains with all these nations.

The leaders of these countries have already pledged more investments in Türkiye and during this trip these will be concretized, the president suggested. Erdoğan’s trip to these countries is expected to take place between July 17 and 20.

Erdoğan assured that the new economy management has already started to obtain positive results to put things back on the right track, including in the fight against inflation. “Who in the past decreased the inflation to single digits in this country? The AK Party teams. Our people should be assured that we will do it again,” he suggested.

The reserves of the Central Bank have increased from $98.5 billion to $108.6 billion between the period of May 26 and June 30, Erdoğan said “These figures encourage in the circles of the economy, finance and trade. We will implement our economy program within the frame we have drawn and without giving any concession. We are activating the rational policies in order to increase our reserves and attract foreign investment.”