I don't recognize European Parliament decision, Turkish PM Erdoğan says

ISTANBUL

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures while addressing lawmakers and supporters of his ruling Justice and Development Party at Parliament, on Tuesday, June 11, 2013. AP Photo

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he did not recognize “decisions made by the European Parliament” in response to the Parliament’s session on Turkey on June 12.

The prime minister said the body’s decisions were not binding for Turkey, which is not an EU member.

Erdoğan’s rage also targeted Stefan Füle, calling him “that one who is responsible of expansion of the union.”

“He did not once give me a counterargument during his time with me, and then he exited the room and tweeted,” Erdoğan said in fury.

The European Parliament had earlier warned against the use of harsh measures against peaceful protesters and said Prime Minister Erdoğan must take a unifying and conciliatory position.

“Those responsible for the police violence must be brought to justice, detained peaceful protestors immediately released and the victims compensated,” European MEPs said.

“While welcoming the moderate response to the protests by President Abdullah Gül and apologies by Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç, they deplore the unwillingness of the Turkish government and Mr. Erdoğan to take steps towards reconciliation, to apologize and to understand the reactions of a segment of the Turkish population,” said the resolution. 

“The protesters increasingly feel that minority voices lack representation and parts of the Turkish population are dissatisfied with the recent lifestyle regulation. They stress that in an inclusive, pluralistic democracy, the majority has a responsibility to include opposition and civil society in the decision-making process,” European parliamentarians also noted. 

Turkey's EU Ministry criticizes EP's statement

Turkey’s European Affairs Ministry also criticized the European Parliament’s attitude, releasing a statement accusing the Parliament of “getting excited in the heat of the moment.”

“Some Parliaments should understand that there is a price for talking so freely and boldly about Turkey’s domestic affairs. They should not be fooled by manipulations and slander and be part of dirty plans both national and international,” the statement said.

“Turkey is a democratic, secular state of law that knows fully how to govern within its own democratic tradition. I hope that they have calculated the price of getting excited in the heat of the moment and target not just our government but the Turkish Republic as well,” the statement added.

The Parliament, shortly after Erdoğan’s angry words, passed a harshly worded proposal against the Turkish government about the recent Gezi protest events.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry responded quickly, calling the decision “of a nature that harms our mutual aims.”

“The decision passed by the Parliament on the ongoing situation in Turkey is of a nature that harms our mutual aims of strengthening and spreading democracy, and one that has no relation to reality. In that sense, it is null and void to us.”