Bagis: EU membership will be no later than 2018

 Speaking to Hurriyet, European Union Minister Egemen Bagis said yesterday that 2023 would be too late for Turkey’s EU membership.  "Turkey’s EU membership date must be no longer than 2018. Those who think that Turkey will wait until 2023 are wrong. I think this date is very late. I hope Turkey will have been celebrating EU membership at least for five years in 2013". Noting that he thinks Turkey’s EU membership will resemble UK’s membership, "Demographic  and industrial structure of UK  and Turkey resemble each other. UK and Turkey are close with regards of international alliances," Bagis said.