Europe is looking for a measure of arrests in Turkey
Relations between Turkey and the European Union were subjected to a new trial. The Minister of foreign Affairs of Luxembourg, one of the founding members of the EU, Jean Asselborn has threatened Ankara over sanctions and the arrest of parliamentarians from the opposition Pro-Kurdish peoples ‘ Democratic party. In turn, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded from the Europeans to stop meddling in his country and confirmed that the policy of Ankara towards “supporters of terrorists” will remain hard.
Carried out by the Turkish authorities, the defeat of the parliamentary opposition has caused discontent in the United States and in the EU. We will remind, last Friday, prosecutors arrested the 12 members of the Pro-Kurdish peoples ‘ Democratic party (HDP), including its co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yuksekdag. They were accused of “inciting civil disobedience” and of having links with terrorist groups.
“Extreme concern” in connection with the arrests was expressed by the press Secretary the White house Josh Ernest, a spokesman of the French foreign Ministry Romain Nadal, the EU high representative for foreign Affairs and security policy Federica Mogherini, European Parliament President Martin Schulz. According to the latter, Ankara’s actions question the relations between the EU and Turkey.
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The unprecedented harsh statement has sounded yesterday from lips of head the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn, who allowed the introduction in relation to Ankara’s economic sanctions from the EU. The Minister recalled that 50% of Turkey’s exports go to the European Union, and from thence to the Turkish economy receives 60% of the investment.
“It’s unlimited means of pressure, and at some point we will not waver from using it,” said Mr. Asselborn. The foreign Minister of Luxembourg compared Ankara’s actions with the methods the Nazis during the Third Reich, Recalling: after the failed July coup, Turkish security forces have arrested more than 110 thousand people, and those who are released from custody, lost the chance to get a job because their names were published in departmental bulletins.
Mr. Erdogan in a dialogue with the EU also chose a dramatic tone, he accused the Europeans to support the outlawed Turkey Kurdistan workers ‘ party (PKK; in her relations with the authorities suspect and DPN). “Europe remains an abettor of terrorism,” the President said. According to Recep Tayyip Erdogan detained parliamentarians from the Pro-Kurdish HDP should stand trial as terrorists. And yesterday, the Turkish leader, speaking to students, said: “the West has not done anything good for Turkey, which has for 53 years, forced to wait at the door of the EU.”
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“The end of democracy in Turkey,” called the arrest of their leaders in the peoples Democratic party in a special statement. “This is a black day not only for our party but for the whole of Turkey and our region”, — the document says. The fraction of HDP suspended work in Parliament, where the party has 59 seats out of 550. Protests involving thousands of Kurds marched in German cities, including Cologne, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Frankfurt am main. In the centre of Paris on the Republic square gathered about 20 thousand Kurds, called on the French authorities not to close my eyes “carried out by the regime of Erdogan repression”.
As explained “Kommersant” the Deputy of the Turkish Parliament from the HDP Garo Paylan, the decision on the temporary suspension of its work, the group has adopted because the legislature still does not perform its functions. Recent steps by Turkish authorities to Mr. Pilan called “revolution, completely destroyed the political system”. He added: “Erdogan controls and legislators, and courts. The Parliament is used only to rubber-stamp laws prepared by the President.”
According to the interlocutor of “Kommersant”, the Turks live in a “fascist state”. “As we know from history that this country (Turkey.— “B”) is very cruel. People understand that any uprising could provoke a retaliatory genocide. To total fear gave way to courage, it will take time,” says Garo Paylan.
According to the expert of the Turkish University of Economics and technology Togrul Ismail, the government has no claim to the DPN and to its individual members. “The government condemns only those who supported the terrorist organizations, he said, “Kommersant”.— The closure of the party it is not, and the decision to suspend the activities of the HDP in Parliament itself took. The Prime Minister Binali Yildirim made just for that faction continued to work”.
Georgy Stepanov, Maksim Yusin, Kirill Krivosheev