Turks spend in Europe, EU Minister says

BRUSSELS - Anatolia News Agency

Egemen Bağış. AA photo

Turks are frequently traveling to EU capitals to spend money in shops and hotels, reviving the union’s struggling economy, according to Turkish EU Minister Egemen Bağış.

“In the past, when Turks were asked, ‘Do you want to live in Europe?’ 80 percent would say ‘yes.’ Now, 85 percent say ‘no.’ Turkish citizens feel there is more hope in Turkey, as well as better job opportunities,” he told EUobserver, the online newspaper covering the politics of the EU.

Bağış said that in 2010, 27,000 Turks went to live in Germany, but 35,000 German citizens moved to Turkey.

“Many of the 5.5 million Turks who live in the EU are considering going to Turkey to seek a better life for themselves and their children,” he said.

Bağış was speaking to the newspaper earlier this week on the sidelines of his talks on plans for visa-free travel to the European Union for Turkish citizens by 2014 or 2015.