Bagis: 2012 to be rough in Turkey's EU process

ISTANBUL (A.A) - February 23, 2012 - Turkey's EU Minister Egemen Bagis has said that 2012 would be a rough year for Turkey's EU membership process. Speaking at a panel discussion in Istanbul on Thursday, Bagis said that 2012 would be rough for Turkey as elections would take place in France and Greek Cypriot administration would undertake EU rotating presidency. However, Turkey would enter a very different period in EU membership process after 2013, added Bagis. Noting that Turkey's EU membership was not an easy process, Bagis said that there were several western countries which blocked Turkey's path, and exploited Turkey's membership issue for their election campaigns.