ANKARA

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said Chancellor Angela Merkel's statements against Turkey's European Union membership were directed at the upcoming federal elections in Germany.

In response to a question about Merkel's remarks in which she promised "a European Union without Turkey," Bozdag said the chancellor's move was part of her election campaign tactics ahead of the federal vote on September 22.

"She says she does not see Turkey. There are many Turks in Germany. I guess they will issue a counter-statement to Merkel," Bozdag said.

"Merkel said that she was scared by the events in Turkey. In fact, I was sacred when I learnt that neo-Nazis were behind the murders of 8 Turks, and 2 other people in Germany," Bozdag told reporters after a meeting in Ankara with Kosovo's Public Administration Minister Mahir Yagcilar.  

Responding to a question over "standing still" protests at Istanbul's Taksim Square and elsewhere in Turkey, Bozdag said, "I do not believe that they are spontaneous protests. 'Standing man' is a by-product of the mind that foresees the continuation of the Gezi Park plot."

"Let them stand, we will proceed," he said, reiterating that Turkish government's view that "interest rate lobbies and certain circles who are disturbed by Turkey's power" were behind the Gezi park protests.

No ban on social media but regulations

Bozdag stating that social media would not be banned, stressed that regulations will take place to prevent online crimes. 

Replying to journalists about Turkish government's planned regulations on social networking sites, Bozdag said, "Social media turned out to be a platform, even a weapon that people target each other with their ideas, emotions, lies and slanders."

Bozdag stated that regulations were aimed at preventing fake accounts, rather than banning those sites.

"Slander is a crime regardless of how it is committed. Already security officials are conducting investigations about this issue, and all kinds of legal procedures will be applied," said Bozdag.

"Banning social networks are out of question but we need to bring regulations," Bozdag said, adding that there were hundreds of fake accounts used for online criminal activity.  

"To prevent all this, the regulations we prepare also by taking into account of the international examples, will soon be announced," Bozdag underlined.

englishnews@aa.com.tr