EU enlargement commissioner visits Türkiye to discuss relations, cooperation

The EU’s commissioner for neighborhood and enlargement began a two-day official visit to Türkiye on Wednesday.

During the visit by Oliver Varhelyi, the first official one to Türkiye by an EU representative since general and presidential elections this May, bilateral relations and cooperation will be discussed, said a European Commission statement.

In the Turkish capital Ankara, Verhelyi will meet a number of top Turkish officials, including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Verhelyi said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter: “I am here to listen & intensify our efforts to move our common agenda forward with Türkiye, a key partner and candidate country.”

“The stability, prosperity & security of our regions are our common priority,” he added.

Türkiye applied for EU membership in 1987, and its accession talks began in 2005.

In the years since, talks have been essentially frozen due to political roadblocks by certain EU members, for reasons unrelated to its suitability for membership, according to Ankara.