SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina
It is not possible for a country --that believes in democracy-- to accept the death penalty sentence of Egypt's elected president Mohamed Morsi, Turkey's president said on Wednesday in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Addressing a joint press conference with Mladen Ivanic, chairman of three-man Bosnian presidency, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "It is not possible for us who believe in democracy to accept such a coup."
On Saturday, an Egyptian court referred 122 out of 166 defendants -- including Morsi -- to the grand mufti to consider possible death sentences over charges of jail breaking and espionage.
"I have consistently said at international platforms that I do not accept Sisi as the president. Today, I am also saying the same thing. To me, the president of Egypt is not Sisi, it is still Morsi," said Erdogan.
Turkey has been among the few countries to openly call the 2013 seizure of power by the Egyptian army – headed at the time by current President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi – as a "military coup."
Erdogan previously had called on the Western world to take a stance against the Cairo court’s decision and criticized their silence over the issue.
"If you are democrat and believe in democracy, why do you not say something about these death sentences?" asked Erdogan.
Turkey plans to initiate steps to invoke mechanisms at international organizations with regard to Morsi's death sentence.
"Just as we will take steps at UN, we will also follow this task at international platforms," added Erdogan.
The European Union called Monday on the Egyptian judiciary to provide Morsi and more than 100 of his supporters with "the right to a fair trial."
The U.S. and the United Nations both expressed concern about the decision on Sunday.
Cairo said Sunday it rejected all "inappropriate comments" on the country's court rulings, labeling them an unacceptable interference in Egypt's internal affairs.
Attacks on pro-Kurdish party's offices
When the president was asked about the attacks perpetrated against the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) offices in two southern provinces, Erdogan said: "Now, our interior ministry has identified a person as a suspect."
Two simultaneous blasts occurred Monday at the HDP’s provincial centers in the southern Mersin and Adana provinces earlier Monday, causing damage to the buildings and injuring three people.
HDP Co-Chairman Selahattin Demirtas said the attacks in Mersin and Adana were part of anti-HDP violence that has seen 66 attacks on the party since campaigning for the June 7 general election began in April.
In an earlier statement, the HDP accused "dark forces supported by the ruling power" of trying to obstruct their election campaign.
"The government and I called for a peaceful election campaign. We will strive to undergo the election in a peaceful way," said Erdogan.
Bilateral relations
Erdogan also said that Turkey will always support Bosnia and Herzegovina for the NATO and EU integration process.
"In terms of military cooperation, Turkey's support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's NATO integration process is continuing and it will continue, and we cannot compromise. Similarly, our support for the EU integration process of Bosnia is also continuing and will continue," said Erdogan.
Erdogan referred to the €100 million ($111.4 million) credit line Turkey has provided, of which €85 million ($94.7 million) have been used -- the remaining amount is ready to be used.
"The most important of the steps taken in this regard is Ziraat Bank's investment. Turkey, currently, is in the first place in every respect to extend a hand to Bosnia," said Erdogan.
Erdogan also said the trade volume between two countries is around $500 million. He added the countries want to increase it.
Ivanic stated that during the meeting with Erdogan, they discussed economic cooperation, especially in the meat and milk trade from Bosnia to Turkey.
"Relations between Bosnia and Turkey are very good and friendly. We are grateful for the projects. There are more than 700 projects with a $175 million budget carried out by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency," Ivanic said.
