REFERENDUM DAY SEPTEMBER, 12 IS AN IRONY OF HISTORY

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said that "it is an irony of history that our nation will have the chance to amend the September, 12 coup d'etat constitution on September, 12."

In his speech at the dinner in Fatih Zeyrekhane organized by Laki Vingas, the representative of minorities in the Foundations' Board, Bagis stated that various beliefs, ethnic origins and political views were the wealth of countries.

Bagis said that everybody should regard the other people's differences as a wealth and he expressed the importance he attached to the circular on the rights of minorities in Turkey, issued by the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Bagis noted that Turkey still had many problems required to be solved and he added that each citizen of the country was equal.

Bagis stated that reaching a bright future was the common goal of everybody and the EU was important also in this regard.

With respect to the constitutional reform package and the referendum, Bagis said:

"It is an irony of history that our nation will have the chance to amend the September, 12 coup d'etat constitution on September, 12. As this country has a Higher Election Board, everybody should respect this decision. However, that day will be a historic day for the democratisation of our country."

Bagis said: "It is now people's turn to speak". Bagis also said that the words of the nation shall be regarded as instructions and he added that democracy in Turkey had strengthened and as democracy got stronger, economy would also strengthen.

Egemen Bagis pointed to the wealth of democratic countries and he expressed that we should focus on individual freedoms.

Bagis explained that we were entering a very different period and Turkey might gain a lot through dialogue.

Source: AA