Babacan underlines benefits and opportunities offered by Turkish passport

Speaking on the sidelines of the world's largest real estate fair, MIPIM, in Cannes, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said that foreigners were increasingly seeking to obtain Turkish citizenship and there was substantial interest in the benefits and opportunities offered by a Turkish passport in the wider region. "We need to appreciate the value of Turkish citizenship. It's not something to give away, we need to be careful," Babacan said. Touching on the issue of residence permits for those making investments in Turkey, Babacan noted, "I believe we should be more tolerant toward foreigners who buy houses and spend substantial amounts of money to spend time in Turkey." Babacan also noted that it was something to be proud of that Turkey has become the guest of honor at this year's MIPIM fair, adding that the real estate projects were very important to Turkey's economy.