Hannover Fair report: Turkey seeking EU partners

The key to success always comes down to the strength of relationships. So, when Turkey’s Prime Minister speaks, he talks about the advantages his country can offer the European Union, in which he is trying to get his country accepted.
“The German government has always supported Turkey’s way into the EU,” said Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Sunday night during his keynote address at the opening ceremony for the Hannover Fair in Hannover Germany.
Turkey still has a tough row to hoe to gain acceptance into the EU, but Erdogan also knows for the country to gain acceptance into the EU–or for it to gain financially–it needs to increase its development. That is why the decided to become the sponsoring country this year at Hannover Fair. “The Fair will be a symbol for the development level Turkey has reached. Turkey’s economy has continued to grow and being the sponsoring country is just a symbol of that,” Erdogan said.
He said over the past four years, the country’s inflation rate has dropped to 10% from 30% and they had over $130 billion in imports. Erdogan also said by 2023, he expects imports and exports to grow “by leaps and bounds.”
Even after he gave his pitch for his country, he would always bring his discussion back to relationships.
“Our relationship with Germany is important because Germany is our most important trading partner.” He also said since there are over 2.5 million residents in Germany of Turkish descent, the two countries’ relationship is even more important.
German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel sees the value in partnering with Turkey, but acceptance into the EU may be off in the horizon.
“People will come to the Fair and see how modern Turkey is,” she said during her keynote address Sunday night. “Turkey is a country where German companies are investing. The most important ties are with the 2.5 million people of Turkish descent living in Germany.”
While Turkey is not an official member of the EU, the country did receive $500 million in funding last year and Merkel said they will get $650 million this year. “The talks to bring Turkey into the EU will continue,” she said. “There are still political issues to work out.”