MESSAGE ON “EUROPEAN DAY FOR VICTIMS OF TERRORISM”

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis released a written message for the occasion of European Day for Victims of Terrorism. 

In his message he stated these:

We, once more condemn terrorism on this day which is commemorated as the “European Day for Victims of Terrorism” by the EU and which is also the 8th anniversary of 2004 Madrid terrorist attacks. The Madrid terrorist attacks also demonstrated the fact that terrorism does not discriminate between language, religion and race. Terrorism is the common problem of and a threat to the all of humanity. As terrorism also becomes globalized, as a part of the globalization process of the world, it becomes essential to also “globalize” cooperation against terrorism.

As a country which has fought against the PKK terrorist organization for almost 40 years, Turkey has always been one of the leading countries in the cooperation against terrorism.

The terrorists cannot be categorized as good or bad. When even one person is not safe, this means that nobody is safe. For this reason, we should favour international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. While fighting against terrorism, significant steps which will enable us to eradicate terrorism completely should be taken without further delay.

The television channels are still broadcasting in the EU member states, even though court judgements that these channels carry out terrorist propaganda and are financed by the terrorist organizations have been taken. This situation makes us question the sincerity and reliability of the European Union.

We shouldn’t forget the fact that, while the terrorist organization PKK is threatening the lives of innocent people in Turkey, the same organization is engaged in selling illegal substances to the young people in Europe.

For the security of Paris or Berlin, Rome and even Washington, we should end terrorism in Hakkari. Some countries, which provide a secure land for the terrorist organizations instead of supporting Turkey in its fight against terrorism, shouldn’t forget the fact that by doing so, they actually become a target.

We expect from the European Union, which has been commemorating the victims of terrorism for 8 years, also to be sensitive about Turkey’s fight against terrorism.

I would like to take this occasion to commemorate the martyrs and we greet respectfully the veterans and the relatives of the martyrs and the veterans.