"Activities in Bursa in the European Integration Process" Project Opening Meeting

"Activities in Bursa in the European Integration Process" project which was granted under the "Provinces Preparing for the EU Programme, was initiated on 26th of September 2011 in Bursa with a conference on on "Current Situation in the Türkiye- EU Accession Negotiations"."Provinces Preparing for the European Union Programme" was launched for the purpose of enhancing the technical and administrative capacities of the "EU Units of Governorships" by the Ministry for EU Affairs within the framework of the "Improving the Effectiveness of Governorships in the EU Accession Process Project" which is carried out for one and half year by now, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior.

The conference was held in cooperation with the Economic Development Foundation and Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Act. Deputy Undersecretary Dr. Mehmet CANGİR from the Ministry for EU Affairs, Governor of Bursa Þahabettin HARPUT, Bursa Provincial EU Permanent Contact Point Ahmet Hamdi USTA, district governors, representatives of public institutions affiliated to Governorship, representatives of Province EU Advisory and Steering Committee, Bursa Municipality, University, Chamber of Industry and Trade, civil society organizations and the local press attended the opening ceremony.

In the opening speech HARPUT stated that the EU accession process will be carried out regardless of EU's position. Evaluating the EU negotiation process, in his speech Mr. Cangir indicated that the EU membership process is more important than the destination itself and therefore, the belief in and the motivation for the accession process sustained independent of the technical accession process itself. "The  Copenhagen Criteria becomes the Ankara criteria" said the Acting Undersecretary, stating that EU accession process is not for the EU but for an improved economy, democracy and standard of life for the Turkish citizens.