Turkish fin. min. expects to meet EU Chapter 33 criteria

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Finance Minister said Thursday that Turkey would have no difficulties in meeting the EU’s financial and budgetary policy.

The European Union has opened a new chapter -- 33 -- regarding financial and budgetary provisions in Turkey’s ongoing accession talks on Thursday.

Chapter 33, which aims at bringing Turkish policy in line with EU’s financial and budgetary provisions, raises the number of chapters opened so far in the accession talks to 16 out of a total of 35.

“I do not expect any difficulties in meeting the criteria in the chapter,” Finance Minister Naci Agbal told a news conference alongside Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, and EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Omer Celik in Brussels on Thursday.

“Turkey's legislation on customs, taxation, statistics and financial control [...] is largely in line with the EU's legal acquis," Agbal said.

Chapter 33 is the second chapter opened in the last seven months.

"As the Finance Ministry of Turkey, we are committed to improving compliance and enforcement of chapter 33 and other chapters," Agbal added.

The opening of chapter 33 comes after soured relations because the bloc requested the candidate country change terrorism laws in exchange for visa-free travel for Turks.