EU Minister Ömer Çelik’s Interview with Russian News Agency TASS

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ömer Çelik gave an interview to Russian News Agency TASS on 16 March 2017 and made statements on relations with the EU and the Netherlands.

EU Minister Ömer Çelik told that there is currently nonsense for Türkiye to continue implementing an agreement with the European Union (EU) on refugees and added that "Türkiye has fulfilled all its obligations under the agreement while the EU has not complied with any of them. The EU has not made a single step to receive refugees as part of voluntary admission. Only a small part of financial assistance promised to Türkiye has arrived and the issue of visa liberalization for Turkish citizens in EU countries has not been resolved." EU Minister Ömer Çelik underlined that the EU is benefiting from the agreement while Türkiye is not. 

EU Minister Ömer Çelik criticized President of the European Commission, Juncker and Commissioner for Enlargement, Hahn and stated that they are making anti-Turkish statements that do not comply in any way with the EU principles and values.

Regarding recent developments with the Netherlands, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ömer Çelik, has said that individuals who are not linked to the Dutch government agencies will not be affected by the sanctions imposed by Ankara. "The Turkish and Dutch peoples have long-standing friendly ties and very close cooperation in business. However, the Dutch government is responsible for the wrong things that have happened. That is why the sanctions that have been imposed and possible future sanctions concern only the country’s leadership" Minister Ömer Çelik told.

EU Minister Ömer Çelik recalled that Ankara is not allowing planes carrying Dutch diplomats, but civilian and tourist flights have not been affected. "Our two countries have major business ties and investment, and we certainly leave this sphere outside the scope of sanctions. The economic sanctions concern only interstate relations" he said.

"Countries will just stop communicating with each other. So, the Netherlands’ actions are, in a way, the use of the model and ideas of the period prior to World War II. I do not think any other country will do the same and choose this behaviour style. No serious country, which has respect for democracy, rights, a long history and prudence, will behave that way," EU Minister Ömer Çelik noted.

Concerning the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ömer Çelik said that there were no significant differences between the participants in the race. "A Turkish newspaper had an excellent headline in connection with the elections: ‘Competition Between Two Good-for-Nothings’. There is Geert Wilders, a racist, an anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic political leader and a Europhobic and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte embarked on the same Xenophobic path to compete with him," he noted.