ANKARA
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey would not turn back to those days when security matters averted freedoms and democracy in Turkey.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Turkish National Police Academy in Turkish capital Ankara, Turkish PM Erdogan stated that "No sabotage and no provocation can turn Turkey back to those days when security based policies dominated the country."
Erdogan supported Turkish police's handling of Taksim Gezi Park protests and incidents, and said, "We will not let any opponent of Turkey, neither the international nor national media, wear away at our police."
"No one has the right to insult Turkish police. They have been quite tolerant to the protests since the very beginning," Premier Erdogan underscored, referring to claims that police used excessive force during Taksim protests.
Denouncing those in an attempt to make Turkey a country of chaos, imposing strict security measures on its people, "Turkey would not turn back to those days when security averted freedoms and democracy in Turkey. No sabotage and no provocation can turn Turkey back to those days when security based policies dominated the country," Erdogan asserted.
In a compelling geography, Premier Erdogan underlined, they will never let anyone justify security issues to violate the rule of law, halt democracy or lead to restriction of freedoms as they did before.
Referring to the solution process on the 30-year terror, Erdogan noted that his government made significant progress not only by increasing security measures but also by pursuing the balance between security and freedoms.
Erdogan also slammed the European Parliament which criticized him and his government for Gezi Park incidents, saying, "Our police get shot and in return use water cannon and tear gas. If they look into the EU Acquis Communitaire, they can see that it is the natural right of the police. The European Parliament has to firstly read the content of the Acquis Communitaire before trying to teach us lesson."
