DEMOCRACY LESSON FROM BAGIS TO PROTESTERS

Before his speech at the panel titled "the future of EU-Turkey relations and expectations" organised by the Eskisehir Young Businessmen Association at Anatolia University, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, being tolerant to the protestors, said: "there is democracy in this country."

When the policemen moved to intervene and stop a young girl who was a student from Osmangazi University trying to hold a protest demonstration by chanting slogans, Bagis told the security forces not to stop the protester and prevented their intervention by saying "let her speak, let us learn what she wants." Upon Bagis's words, the protester, giving up the idea of protesting, left the saloon in the care of the police. At that moment also Bagis warned the security forces not to intervene.

Indicating that freedom of speech was very important for reaching EU standards, Bagis said that everyone in Turkey had the right to protest and even to vociferate but not to commit crimes and disturb the peace in the society. Bagis continued as follows:

"Soon we will get the questions of the audience in this room. We will try to answer both the questions we have liked and we haven't liked. If we don't know the answer of a question we will admit that. However, I don't believe that we have the right to unsettle people, to accuse or blacken anybody. It is out of question that the vociferating ones can be right."

Referring to Socrates, Bagis said : "He could not well get along with his wife. One day his wife who could not get a reply from him after her long speech pours a bucket of water over his head. Socrates looks at his wife and says: ‘I was expecting a heavy shower after such a noisy thunder' "

Kaynak: AA, İHA, BYEGM