Visa liberalization for 'Islamist' Turkey only when all prerequisites are met, says EU Commission.(Cyprusmail).
VISA liberalisation will be granted to Turkey only when all 72 legislative prerequisites are fulfilled, including Ankara’s Cyprus-related obligations, European Commission Chief Spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the daily briefing in Brussels, and clarifying reported “ambiguity” during the past few days, Schinas said the European Commission would examine the situation, in accordance with the College of Commissioners schedule, but has no intention to make any “discounts”.
An EC source, speaking exclusively to CNA, later explained that “there is absolutely no possible way for Turkey to legislate, ignoring the Cyprus related obligations” and pointed out that all these issues were absolutely clear since yesterday, when the visa liberalisation report came out.
Moreover, another European Commission spokesperson Maja Kocijancic said during the same briefing that the visit of Pierre Moscovici, European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, to Turkey had nothing to do with the opening of Chapter 33 on the budget and economic policy, the preparation of which is already done and is still up to date.
The spokesperson pointed out that the schedule which has been decided is to convene an intergovernmental conference in June, during the last days of the Dutch Presidency and open the chapter there.
On Wednesday the first Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans will inform the College of Commissioners about his joint trip to Gaziantep, together with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council President Donald Tusk.
On Tuesday, the issue of the agreement with Turkey was also on the agenda of a working lunch of the European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker with the President of the Council and the President of the European Parliament. (CNA)
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