Hans Joerg Kretschmer, the EU Commission's representative to Türkiye, told an international conference in Izmir on Tuesday that the European Union recognizes the political and economic reforms Türkiye has carried out in recent years.
Speaking at a gathering on EU accession and the agriculture sector held at the Izmir Hilton, Kretschmer said Türkiye's membership negotiations would be a lengthy and difficult process, but that the process itself, bringing broad transformation, matters as much as the final outcome.
He pointed to notable economic progress since 2001 while also citing weaknesses and regional imbalances in the agriculture sector. He called on both the government and private sector to work toward closing the gap between regions, with particular attention to the southeast.
Kretschmer added that bringing Türkiye's agriculture sector into line with EU rules remains a significant task, and he clarified that the EU has no intention of eliminating small agricultural enterprises.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in March 2006, in its own words.