Thursday, May 9, 2019 Tunç Soyer, the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, received the Ambassador Christian Berger, the Head of EU Delegation to Turkey, who is in Izmir for the “Europa Day”. The Mayor Tunç Soyer hopes that the new era in Izmir will also be a new beginning for the relations with the EU.
 
The Ambassador Christian Berger, the Head of EU Delegation to Turkey, started the opening celebrations of 2019 Europe Day in Izmir with the Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer. Mr. Berger and Mr. Soyer walked towards the Gündoğdu Square together after meeting at the City Hall. Tunç Soyer and the visiting Ambassador Christian Berger opened the open air exhibition “Working Together for a Common Future”, a collection of the EU works in Izmir, and they attended to the reception. Christian Berger’s wife Mrs. Marilena Georgiadou-Berger and Mrs. Neptün Soyer were also present at this event.  
 
Tunç Soyer, the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, mentioned that the visit by Mr. Berger, the Head of EU Delegation to Turkey, pleased him and he continued: “I believe that the future will be a world of cities and the relationships between the cities must be leveraged even further. Considering its geographic location and cultural background, I trust that Izmir will have a leading role in the cooperation between the cities of Turkey and EU. I think that Izmir might take up new roles throughout the EU harmonization period and intercity dialogues. If the EU and Turkey are to have a Committee of the Regions workgroup, we really hope Izmir will be a part of it. I believe that the Mediterranean Sea is not a border but a power that combines the cities”.
 
Mr. Christian Berger mentioned that he is very pleased to be celebrating the Europe Day in Izmir and continued: “So far, we have been cooperating with Izmir in a number of areas. We will take this cooperation even further in this new era. I will mention your suggestions in Brussels. I agree with your suggestions about the Committee of Regions”.