Bagis: "Gezi protests planned long ago"

ANKARA

Turkish Minister of European Union (EU) Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said, "Turkey is not a second class democracy to surrender to pressures neither in domestic nor in foreign policy." 

Bagis briefed the ambassadors of EU countries to Turkey about the Gezi Park events and the course of Turkey's accession process during a working lunch at the ministry. 

Speaking to journalists before the lunch, Bagis said he felt grateful to host the ambassadors on the day that a new chapter was opened in Turkey's EU accession process. 

Bagis expressed that the opening of Chapter 22, "Regional policy and Coordination of structural instruments" while Turkey has been undergoing from the solution process carried an extra importance. 

"It is not an extraordinary issue, rather an ordinary process," said Bagis, adding that European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule also had defined the opening of Chapter 23 and 24 as very significant in the future within the political sensitivities occurred in this process.

Bagis reiterated that EU membership was a strategic and supra-party objective for Turkey, to which all the governments have been committed since 1959.

Bagis mentioned that the working lunch aimed at briefing the ambassadors and take their opinions about the points that Turkey was criticized in its handling of Gezi Park protests.

There are situations in your countries similar to the ones that Turkey is criticized about the police exceeding its authority, even if we do not approve such actions, said Bagis, and added that those who misused the authority would be found, investigated and punished.  

"I would also share with you that the protests in Gezi Park have not been organized with an environmentalist sensitivity, rather were planned long ago," said Bagis.

He added, "The events can not be called as Turkish Spring as some claims. Turkish Spring has begun on November 3, 2002 when Justice and Development (AK) Party came to power. Our democracy and freedom of expression strenghtened by each election and referendums."

Reaffirming Turkey's decisiveness, "EU process has been one of the platforms to strenghthen our democracy," said Bagis. 

"Turkey is not a second class democracy to surrender to pressures neither in domestic no in foreign policy," added Bagis.