Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Attending the meeting were TOBB Board Member Cengiz Günay, Belgian İstanbul Consulate Visa Department Director Jean*Nicolas Dewaide representing the Local Schengen Group, EU Ankara Delegation Local Schengen Cooperation and Border Security Chief Jörg Dieter Köstinger, Italian İstanbul Consulate Vice Consul Giulia Prati, German İstanbul Consulate Visas Director Alexander Dodt, Hungarian İstanbul Consulate Consul Zsuzsanna Pálmai, Czech Republic İstanbul Consulate Visas Director Nora Jurkovıcova and Financial Development Foundation Secretary General Çiğdem Nas and TOBB EU Department Expert Senem Yavaş.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, TOBB Board Member Cengiz Günay stated that the business community is facing serious difficulties in obtaining visas for Schengen countries for business purposes. He expressed their pleasure in the EU Commission’s recommendation for the lifting of Schengen visas for Turkish citizens.

Pointing out that the recommendation must be accepted and ratified by the European Council and Parliament, Günay said, “We anticipate that these two institutions will fulfill their duties throughout this process. We have completed many of the 72 criteria needed for the lifting of visas. There are only 5 criteria needing to be fulfilled. To this end, we wholly support the work of our government in fulfilling these criteria as well. An important injustice will be righted once our trade relations improve with the lifting of visas.

Like Turkey in general, Tekirdağ’s most important trade partners are EU countries. The main balance of Turkey’s economic development is maintained by the private sector. In order to make further progress, it is imperative that trade relations with EU countries be improved. To this end, direct contact is quite important for us. Facilitation of visas for Turkish businesspeople will be mutually beneficial.”

Giving presentations on the subject were Local Schengen Cooperation and Border Security Senior Expert Jörg Dieter Köstinger on behalf of the EU Delegation, German İstanbul Consulate Visa Director Alexander Dodt and İKV Secretary General Ass. Dr. Çiğden Nas.

Tekirdağ TSO members were informed in regards to the latest developments on the subject regarding the lifting of visas.

Following the presentations, representatives of the business council related the problems they’ve faced in regards to visas which were answered by relevant consuls.