(ECHR) on the way to Qatar. Erdogan said there is a full consensus among the President, the Chief of General Staff and the government regarding the Semdinli incidents and that they share similar sensitivities. “According to the first findings, the incidents are not local,” said Erdogan as opposed to the statement of Gendarme Full General Fevzi Turkeri. Emphasizing that no matter what the cost is, the perpetrators of these incidents will pay the cost, Erdogan noted, “We see that the old mentality continues in Semdinli. We will make a healthier assessment when we receive the findings.” Upon a question asking, “Whether these incidents can be referred to as a second Susurluk case?”, Erdogan responded, “There is no need to place a label. It is enough to say this is a continuum of a mentality.” Stressing that the event has two dimensions, judicial and administrative, Prime Minister Erdogan complained about the ideological and emotional approaches about these kinds of issues adding, “We expect the judiciary to do what is necessary.”Erdogan informed that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies will make a motion in the parliament and a committee to be established will investigate the issue. If the current legislation is not sufficient, the necessary amendments will be made, Erdogan indicated. Dwelling on the administrative side of the issue, Erdogan talked about the challenges they were up against. He said they had difficulties in situations requiring three party-decrees such as the appointment of governors or police chiefs. “As a prime minister, I cannot appoint the governor or police chiefs of my wish ,” Erdogan complained.
Prime Minister Erdogan evaluated the other issues on the agenda during the talk. Erdogan touched upon the coordination between the government and the chief of the General Staff and reacted towards the criticisms that targeted General Ozkok. “What can be more natural than the good relations of the prime minister of a country with the President and the chief of the General Staff? I have to be consistent with both the President and chief of the General Staff. We have to get along well. The country will gain from this. If there is no harmony among us the country will suffer its consequences.
EHRC Decision May Come to EU Agenda Like Orhan Pamuk
The Prime Minister commented on the headscarf ban decision of The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and said that he cannot understand the court’s view of the headscarf. Erdogan emphasized that EHCR does not have the authority to define the headscarf and added: “Only religious authorities may do this. I want to learn from which authority they got this definition. They apply to the Church when they are taking decisions about Christians, in order to find out the meaning of the event in religion. Headscarf is different in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It is different also in Turkey and there are different traditions in different cities in the same country also. Then how can this be a political symbol?” Erdogan stated that the victims of the headscarf ban may bring the issue to the level of the EU and showed Orhan Pamuk case as an example for this. The Prime Minister referred to the ones who say “period, this case is closed” and said: “Did not they say Tayyip Erdogan cannot be even a village headman?” Erdogan emphasized that the decision of EHCR is not decisive and also generalizing it will not be correct. Turkish Prime Minister said that the decision was given for a single case and people with different expectations evaluated this as a conviction. Erdogan said: “If it had been a decisive decision the headscarf ban would be applied all around Europe.”
The legislative body of a democratic nation built on the notion that advocates the rule of law will do the necessary job, stated Erdogan. The ban does not result from either a Constitutional or legal clause. It is a result of the interpretation that the Constitutional Court put on the law. Erdogan reached such a conclusion through his negotiations with attorneys and some ECHR officials. A similar opinion was formed during the talks with the European Commission members, noted Erdogan.
The problem of the headscarf is evident only in some parts of Germany, said Erdogan. The problem in question is not causing trouble in the rest of Europe and in other parts of the world. “Leyla Sahin, who was not able to continue with her studies in Turkey, went to Austria in pursuit of her pending projects and was granted a diploma. How can we explain a case such as this? asked Erdogan.
Erdogan views the issue of the turban as involving the freedoms of religion and conscience. The Constitutional Court might make amendments to the verdict that was made in the past, asserted the prime minister. “When the legislative organ starts dealing with the matter in hand, the events might take a different course. Turkey is a country of freedom; many things changed from what they were in the past,” said Erdogan. There is an immediate need to solve the problem without causing social tension of any sort, asserted the ruling party leader. There is considerable progress in the coordination between the organizations, noted the prime minister, according importance to the positive attitude of the opposition parties except for the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
