"AS THE GOVERNMET, WE DIDN'T AND WE NEVER WILL COMPROMISE DEMOCRACY"

Egemen Bagis, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator stated that as the government, they didn't and would never compromise from democracy and said "If more democracy creates risks, we are ready to undertake those risks."

Addressing the party members at the 3rd regular congress of AK Party Corum District Presidency held in Ataturk Sport Hall, Bagis called for unity and solidarity and stated that AK Party represented the common hopes and enthusiasm.

Bagis said "We have to attach importance to the EU process if we don't want to fear another coup" and continued:

"The EU process is important if we want to avoid fear of Sharia. It is important against over liberalization and monopolization. EU is not a project which is solely relevant to the external world. It is an important project to reach the European standards in the fields of environment, agriculture, health, human rights and democracy."

Bagis stated that being the first full-time chief negotiator gave him honor and said:

"This gives me pain too since no countries negotiation process has lasted for 50 years. We couldn't even receive a date in the last 50 years. Everything was done in the last 5 years. During 50 years, some have frozen the process, some have wanted a coup; however we came to power in 2002 and started working in 2004. In 2005 the negotiations started. Until now, we have opened 10 of the 33 chapters. I hope we will open the 11th one this Tuesday in Brussels. Turkey progresses with determination and resolution. There are so many reforms to be carried out. I hope we will realize them too."

Bagis said "Thus, Turkey has progressed so much. As the government, we didn't and will never compromise from democracy. If more democracy creates risks, we are ready to undertake those risks. However in order to make progress on the way to democracy we have to take some steps. These are a new judicial reform, the establishment of the public auditing institution and most importantly a new constitution that is worthy of Turkey. The current constitution is a military one. A military Constitution yields military democracy. We have forgotten the individual while aggrandizing the state. We also have to strengthen the individual. The institution in which the individual is strengthened passes through the EU."

Asserting that democratisation was essential in Turkey and the basic precondition for this was law; Bagis stated that until recently democracy was presented to be the source of fear and anxiety in Turkey.

Bagis emphasized that a new term had started in Turkey where nothing was kept secret and that Turkey was now a social and laic state governed by law.

Noting that they were making progress not with ghosts and fears but through promoting democracy, Bagis said, "There are still ones who draw a parallel between democracy and dream interpretation. There are those who attempt to reject the proposal which they voted for the night before the next morning. This nation doesn't believe these. Believe me it doesn't. Come and be sincere. I am addressing the main opposition party, Let us come together to develop Turkey and resolve the problems instead of eroding the institutions. Because the way to the EU passes not through Diyarbakir but through the General Assembly of the TGNA."

Afterwards Bagis, together with the deputies, the governor Mustafa Toprak, the deputy mayor Zeki Gul and party officials, went to Corum State Hospital in order to send his condolences to the relatives of Tahsin Guvelioglu, Gokceada AK Party District Chairman, who lost his life in a traffic accident.Resource: AA