Singer Metin Şentürk has been named Turkey’s honorary European Union ambassador for his work in bringing Turkey’s regulations and practices for people with disabilities up to EU standards.
State Minister and chief negotiator Egemen Bağış pinned an “Honorary European Union Ambassador” pin on the visually impaired singer during a ceremony at the European Union General Secretariat office in Istanbul’s Ortaköy quarter, where he noted that Turkey has entered another year of EU negotiations.
During the ceremony, Bağış said Şentürk was a role model for millions of people with disabilities living in Turkey because he had removed obstacles by trying to bring the country’s regulations on disabilities in line with international standards and by promoting Turkey in EU member countries.
“We have worked a lot during these past few years. Despite all the pessimism and negativity, we have stuck our heart and soul into this vital project. Nevertheless, this negotiation process is sometimes evaluated from a very narrow viewpoint and we regret this,” Bağış was quoted as saying Monday by Anatolia news agency.
“If we separate the 13 chapters we have opened so far, 17 of the remaining 20 chapters on our agenda face political obstacles imposed by the commission or members of the European Union,” said Bağış.
Bağış said the other three chapters included a competition chapter, which they continue to work on, one on public procurement and a final chapter on social politics and employment. These chapters are the hardest chapters of the EU, said Bağış, adding that it was no coincidence that other countries had also left them to the end.
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