European Parliament President Martin Schulz Martin Schulz to pay official visit to Turkey Press Release Brussels 07-04-2015 The President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz will be on a two-day official visit to Turkey tomorrow and Thursday. On Wednesday President Schulz will have meetings with the highest Turkish authorities, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoan, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutolu, European Affair Minister Volkan Bozkr, and the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Credits : Wikimedia commons (TGNA) Cemil Çiçek. President Schulz will also meet with political group leaders in the TGNA. On Wednesday afternoon President Schulz will hold a press conference open to all accredited journalists at the Delegation of the European Union. The enlargement process, geopolitical developments in the Middle-East, the humanitarian crisis in Syria, bilateral and regional trade relations between the EU and Turkey, internal reforms, human rights and media freedoms will be among the issues discussed during the two-day programme. Ahead of the visit, President Schulz stated: "Turkey is more than a key strategic, political and economic partner of the EU: it is a candidate country. Since I take this candidacy seriously, I believe dialogue must be continuous and unhindered with authorities, parliamentarians and civil society alike. I also intend to visit Turkey in order to witness first-hand the inspiring work which has been done by Turkish authorities to shelter and help refugees fleeing from the Syrian conflict." Programme: Wednesday, 8 April 2015 - Ankara 9:00 Meeting with Volkan Bozkr, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator - Ankara 9:45 Meeting with Mevlüt Çavuolu, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs - Ankara 10:30 Meeting with Selahattin Demirta, head of the Democratic Party (HDP) - Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Ankara 11:20 Meeting with Oktay Vural, Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Turul Türke, Vice-chair for Foreign Relations of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) - Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Ankara 12:10 Meeting with Kemal Klçdarolu, leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP) - Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Ankara 14:30 Meeting with Ahmet Davutolu, Prime Minister of Turkey - Ankara 16:00 Meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdoan, President of Turkey - Presidential Palace, Ankara 17:30 Press Conference - Delegation of the EU to Turkey, Ankara 19:15 Meeting with Cemil Çiçek, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey - Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Ankara Thursday, 9 April 2015: Gaziantep Martin Schulz to pay official visit to Turkey 1/2 European Parliament President Martin Schulz 10:30 Meeting with Süleyman Tapsz, Governor of Kilis 16:30 Meeting with Ali Yerlikaya, Governor of Gaziantep 17:00 Meeting with Fatma ahin, mayor of Gaziantep 19:00 Press conference - Gaziantep Oguzeli Airport For further information: [email protected] Armin Machmer Spokesperson +32 479 97 11 98 Martin Schulz to pay official visit to Turkey 2/2.