EU Ministry

Evidently, Varga could not convince the EU Commission that Hungary has made enough progress and her resignation could be a sign that PM Vikor Orban has lost confidence in her. However, other factors might be in the background. The Justice Ministry was rocked by a major corruption and money-laundering scandal, as Varga's state secretary was selling lucrative bailiff positions for money.

With the new administration system to be formed after June 24 polls, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is planning to close down seven current ministries in a bid to introduce a small but efficient government, which includes transferring all the duties and operations of the EU Ministry to the Foreign Ministry. 

A substantial portion of the funds promised by the European Union (EU) to help Syrian refugees in Turkey is still not being used actively to meet their needs, Turkey's EU Ministry said on Saturday.

Turkey's EU Ministry has appealed to the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court to become an intervening party in the case on events at the Akıncı air base during last year's coup attempt on the grounds that the coup plotters were aiming to topple the government and ruin Turkey's ties with the EU. 

Officials from Turkey and the European Union will meet June 13 in Brussels for a political dialogue meeting to review the current status of issues on their mutual agenda and to discuss ways of moving forward after a period of tension.

The discussions will set the stage for higher-level gatherings at the ministerial level for political, energy, and economy dialogue meetings. 

Turkey and the European Union have agreed on a 12-month calendar on the future of Turkey's accession bid, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on May 25 while returning to Turkey from meetings with the bloc's top executives and leaders of the European powerhouses.

The EU conducted some studies before the meetings, Erdoğan told journalists.

Sixteen Turkish ambassadors have been reshuffled, according to a decree published in the Official Gazette on Sept. 20, the state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mahir Ünal said he does not see "severe trauma" in the sector, adding it will overcome the current "turbulence," in a televised interview on Feb. 27. 

"While the tourism sector will see turbulent days for a while, I believe we will overcome this turbulence. I do not see severe trauma [in the sector]," he said on Turkish news channel NTV. 

Turkey's European Union minister and its chief negotiator with the bloc, Volkan Bozk?r, flew to France on Feb. 2 to hold official meetings in Paris and Brussels between Feb. 3 and Feb. 5. 

In Paris, Bozk?r is scheduled to meet with French Secretary of State for European Affairs Harlem Desir at a working lunch on Feb. 3, a statement by the EU Ministry has said.

Turkey's EU minister and its chief negotiator with the bloc, Volkan Bozk?r, will be holding official meetings in Paris and Brussels between Feb. 3 and 5, a statement by the EU Ministry has said.