EP uses freedom of talking nonsense, says EU Minister Bagis

ANKARA

Turkish Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis rejected Thursday European Parliament's (EP) criticism of his government over Taksim Gezi Park protests and said EP was using  the freedom of talking nonsense.

 ''There is a freedom of talking nonsense and people talk nonsense as long as they do not harm others," said Bagis adding "Now I see that some members of the European Parliament are using their right to talk nonsense.''

Bagis stressed that Turkey was not a country to be issued an ultimatum referring to the EP's concern and criticism over Taksim protests. 

Reminding Turkey was democratic, secular, and a social law state, Bagis said "Those who criticise Turkey should have a look at their own countries and how their security forces go beyond their powers in such social protests."

Touching on the interest of international media in Taksim protests, Bagis said it was thought-provoking that the western media focused that much on the recent Taksim events as if the third world war burst out in Turkey while almost 100 people were being killed daily by the government in Syria as well as many natural disasters and massacres took place in other parts of the world. 

The European Parliament adopted Thursday a resolution expressing its deep concern at what it called "the disproportionate and excessive use of force by Turkish police to break up peaceful and legitimate protests".

The resolution urged the Turkish authorities to respect the rights of all citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful protest deploring the "harsh reactions" from the Turkish government and Erdogan, while praising what it called the "moderate response" of President Abdullah Gul.

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