Bagis: Action plan for chapter 22 to be presented to EU commission

Turkey's Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said that they have completed all the criteria about the opening of chapter 22 and the related action plan and the related action plan was planned to be presented to the EU Commission on Tuesday. Bagis met with Deputy Interior Minister Osman Gunes and governors of 20 pilot provinces involved in the Building the Capacity of EU Affairs in the Governorates Project on Monday at a working breakfast, where Bagis said that Turkey's capacity to benefit from the EU's possibilities have increased thanks to their recent efforts. Stating that more than four thousand projects have received direct or indirect support through Turkey's Ministry for EU Affairs, Bagis said that harmonization, consultation and steering committee meetings have been held for more than 650 times and he has personally attended 12 of those meetings. Bagis added that a new chapter would be opened during the Irish term presidency and that the chapter which will be opened was the regional development chapter aimed at decreasing injustice, inequality and differences in income and social and economic data. Furthermore, upon a question about the peace process of Kurdish issue in Turkey, Bagis said, "In general, there is a very hopeful atmosphere in Turkey."