17 June 2013 / TODAYSZAMAN.COM, İSTANBUL
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lashed out once again at the European Parliament on Monday, saying he does not recognize the EU body, as criticism from Europe flooded in over the way he handled the three-week protests against his government.
Reiterating his charges that the European parliamentarians did not criticize in the same way the police response to protests in Britain or France, Erdoğan said to the European Parliament: "You are anti-democratic... I don't recognize such an EU parliament. [For us] it would be nothing but a name plate. You have to have some spine." Last week, he said he did not recognize the resolution approved by a majority vote in the European Parliament.
Erdoğan's remarks came hours after German Chancellor Angela Merkel and some leading members of the European Parliament criticized the prime minister's response to the protests.
Merkel said on Monday she was shocked at Turkey's tough response to anti-government protests but stopped short of demanding that the European Union call off accession talks with the candidate country.
"I'm appalled, like many others," Merkel said of Turkey's handling of two weeks of unrest that began over a redevelopment project in İstanbul's Gezi Park but has grown into a broader protest against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government.
"I would like to see those who have criticism, who have a different opinion and a different idea of society, having some space in a Turkey that moves into the 21st century," Merkel told German broadcaster RTL.
Asked whether Ankara's response to the protests was in line with the way an EU accession candidate should act, Merkel said, "What's happening in Turkey at the moment is not in line with our idea of the freedom to demonstrate or freedom of speech.
"They are terrible images. ... I can only hope that the problems will be solved peacefully," she was reported as saying by Reuters in the televised interview, which was due to be aired later on Monday.
EU politicians are divided on whether interrupting accession talks would help or hamper Turkey's democratization process.
On Monday, the European politicians continued to point criticism at the Turkish government over the handling of the protests. Hannes Swoboda, the president of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament, slammed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for refusing to recognize the European Parliament resolution on the Turkey protests and said that Erdoğan's remarks could only mean that he does not want to become a member of the European Union.
"Mr. Erdoğan has said he refuses to recognize the European Parliament and he refuses to recognize those who protest against him, his government and his policies. Ignoring the European Parliament can only mean he does not want Turkey to become a member of the European Union,” a statement issued by Swoboda's office said on Monday.
The European Parliament resolution received a lot of criticism from the Turkish authorities who described it as unacceptable and one-sided.
The Socialist parliamentarian also condemned the Turkish government for a new round of clashes with protesters at İstanbul's Gezi Park on Saturday night where the protesters were dismantled and chased away with tear gas and water cannons. “Again we ask him [Erdoğan] to act as a statesman and not just as a party political leader," said the statement.
"Ignoring the voices of his people means that he is failing as a head of government. It should be his job to bring people together and not to divide them further,” the statement added.
Andrew Duff, a British politician and a senior member of the European Parliament, urged leaders at the G-8 summit taking place in Northern Ireland to make a clear statement on the “escalating crisis in Turkey.”
In a statement, Duff said he wrote to G-8 leaders and told them not to miss the opportunity of their meeting to condemn the provocative stance adapted by Erdoğan.
Underlining the European Parliament resolution, Duff said the bloc has every right to comment on a democratic crisis in a country that is trying to join the EU. The statement asked the summit leaders to call on Erdoğan's government to “scrap the Gezi Park development and promise to improve urban planning laws in a democratic direction.”
Besides, the statement asked the protesters to stay away from the violence.
Another European official who called Turkish officials to be more careful with police intervention was Thorbjørn Jagland, secretary general of the Council of Europe. “Authorities have to take appropriate measures with regard to demonstrations in order to ensure their peaceful conduct and the safety of all citizens,” he said in a statement and called for proportionate police intervention.
The statement branded the use of tear gas in confined places, including hospitals as unnecessary and disproportionate.
“I believe it is important to recall the legally binding standards set by the European Convention on Human Rights regarding the freedom of assembly -- and its limits,” it added.
In the meantime, Elmar Brok ( EPP, DE ), chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, issued the following statement today on the postponement of the committee delegation visit to Turkey , scheduled to take place on 19 and 20 June:
"In the face of the declarations made by representatives of the government of Turkey the committee has decided to postpone its visit. I regret this. Turkey is and remains an important partner for the EU but should understand how to deal with criticism. We will pursue contacts with our counterparts in Turkey to re-establish a constructive dialogue with them."
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