Erdogan slams European Union as 'anti-democratic'

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:1PM GMT

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced the European Union as “anti-democratic” over the bloc’s criticism of the Turkish government about the police’s heavy-handed response to the protests in the country.

Erdogan made the remarks on Monday, several days after the European Parliament issued a resolution condemning Ankara’s excessive use of force against the “peaceful” protesters.

“Do you have the right to take such a decision [on Turkey]? You stay silent about what’s happening in France, in England and elsewhere in Europe, and you dare to take a decision on our security forces, who are exercising their duty of law enforcement against those demonstrators. You are anti-democratic,” Erdogan said at a meeting in Ankara.

The Turkish premier said he would no longer recognize the European Parliament. In his previous broadside against the bloc, he accused some “world powers” of complicity with “internal plotters” to undermine his government.
Earlier in the day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized the Turkish government for its handling of the demonstrations. "There were horrible images in which one could see that the approach was much too harsh in my view," Merkel told German broadcaster RTL.
Calls on Turkey to put an end to the crackdown have fallen on deaf ears. Erdogan’s deputy Bulent Arinc said in a televised interview on Monday that police "will use all their powers" to end the protests, adding "If this is not enough, we can even utilize the Turkish armed forces in cities."
MA/AS