German business leader: "Eased visa regime will make Turkish investments skyrocket"

Germany's visa regime has started to tarnish its image abroad and make it lose investments, German-Turkish Industry and Trade Chamber (AHK) head Franz Koller said yesterday. "Rejections of visa applications or granting only short-term business visas have caused delays and cancellations of many planned foreign investments," he said. But easing the country's strict visa regime would open the way for Turkish investments to boom in Germany, he explained. Pointing out that Germany is one of Turkey's biggest trade partners, Koller stressed the need to create a suitable environment for ties between Turkish and German companies to flourish. Germany's tight visa regime leaves Turks alienated from Germany, harming its position as the number one foreign destination for Turks to take vacations, seek business, and get an education, he added.