"AS WE HAVE SOLVED TURKEY'S CHRONIC PROBLEMS, WE WILL ALSO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM TOGETHER"

Minister for EU Affairs and chief negotiator Egemen Bagis said: "Nobody has the right to question the other's nationalism and patriotism in this period in which some important steps are taken for the democratic expansion. Nobody has the right to belabour the ruling party for taking some risks to terminate bloodshed in this country.

In his speech delivered after the iftar dinner in Yildiz Park, Cadır Pavillion, organized by the AK Party Besiktas District Presidency; Minister for EU Affairs, Bagis evaluated the progress of "Democratic Expansion".

Bagis declared that they had started to solve Turkey's problems; and highways totally at the length of more than 9 thousand kilometres had been built, one third of the schools open now and one fourth of the hospitals with beds had been put into service in the AK Party period, in last 7 years.

Bagis stated that they had been doing their part in every field that the society had needs. He added:

"Nowadays with a new expansion, we have cooperated altogether to solve another chronic problem of Turkey. As we have solved the chronic problems of Turkey one by one; with this new democratic expansion, we are also trying to do our best in order to prevent mothers' tears, to end hostility among brothers and to create an atmosphere in which everyone can embrace each other with no discrimination among them. We want to realize this process with the support, invocation and contribution of all citizens of this country. Whoever has an idea or a thought for a brighter future in this country, we are ready to listen them all. We are open to the ideas of everyone, now we want peace in this country, we do not want bloodshed anymore."

Bagis stated that they wanted to solve not only the problems of people belonging to an ethnic group, having a particular political view or a religious belief in the country, but also the problems of all citizens of Turkey; and that was the reason of calling this expansion as the "democratic expansion".

Stating that it was the common duty of everyone to solve the problems of people feeling 'otherized' or feeling to be treated unfairly, Bagis added that there was no other Turkey, so the problems should be solved with cooperation. Bagis pointed that he believed in the solution of this problem with a common mind by also consulting the ideas of all legal institutions and organizations, political parties and non-governmental organizations; and he continued:

"Nobody has the right to question the other's nationalism and patriotism in this period in which some important steps are taken for the democratic expansion. Besides, nobody has the right to belabour the ruling party for taking some risks to terminate bloodshed in this country. This problem is being experienced since 1973. We took it as our duty to deal with these problems bravely. However, former governments shouldn't forget the fact that they left a much more chronic problem than the one they took over. As we've managed to solve the problems rendered more complicated by them, I hope that we will also find a solution to this problem together. "

Bagis said that they regarded the problem as Turkey's common problem and therefore, with the instructions of Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan; the Minister of Internal Affairs, Besir Atalay made every effort to ask for everyone's opinion and support regarding the issue.

Stating that the democratic expansion was closely being followed by the EU and UN member countries and our neighbouring countries, Bagis emphasized that the democratic expansion would enable Turkey to be again a source of inspiration for the world.Resource: AA