WE COMMEMORATE WITH GRATITUDE THE LATE MENDERES

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis released a message on the occasion of the death anniversary of the late Adnan Menderes who was the Prime Minister of Turkish Republic between the years 1950-1960 and said: "I once more commemorate with gratitude and profound respect the late Adnan Menderes on the day of his death anniversary, a unique politician who has achieved to be statesman and ‘a man of the people' at the same time".

"The execution of Menderes is one of the darkest days of Turkish democracy," Bagis highlighted in his message and added that none of the coups witnessed could make people lose their belief in democracy and public will since the heritage of democracy left by Menderes is so strong.

Bagis indicated that Menderes, leading to transition to multi-party political system and its adoption by the people, made the first application to European Economic Union 51 years ago, and achieved the target of modernization set by Ataturk and thus, took an irreversible step on the way to democracy and development.

In his message, Bagis said "The heritage of democracy left by Menderes is so strong that none of the coups witnessed could make the people lose their belief in democracy and public will. The best evidence is the public will, striking a blow against the military constitution on 12 September 2010, the anniversary of one of the darkest days of our history of democracy."

Bagis stated that today, they, under the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, courageously and faithfully continued the EU journey and democratization efforts initiated by Menderes.

Source: AA