EU Ambassador Aivo Orav said Turkish officials had told him they had received instructions at the highest level to address the six remaining benchmarks for visa-free travel.
Speaking to diplomatic correspondents in Ankara on Oct. 22, Orav, who heads the EU Delegation to Türkiye, said his discussions with public officials and politicians had encouraged him.
He said visa liberalization remained important to both sides, with six requirements still to be fulfilled before the process could advance.
Orav also acknowledged difficulties facing visa applicants, including long waiting lists and problems securing appointments.
Visa issues had come up in almost all his meetings in Türkiye, he said.
“We need to address these issues systematically,” he said, adding that EU member states were trying to assign more staff to their consular sections.
On broader relations, Orav said the EU was ready to move forward, pointing to increased high-level visits over the past six months and continuing dialogue meetings.
“Türkiye needs the EU, and the EU needs Türkiye,” he said.
Acknowledging the difficulties in their shared history, Orav urged diplomats to look ahead and help political leaders do the same.
He cited recent visits by senior EU leaders, the bloc’s foreign policy chief and European commissioners as signs of closer engagement.
On Türkiye’s inclusion in the EU’s “Made in Europe” framework, Orav said negotiations were continuing and no final legislation had been agreed.
The bloc’s 27 member states were still negotiating, he said, stressing that Ankara’s position was being heard.
“What matters here is that Türkiye’s views are being listened to carefully,” Orav said.
