Erdoğan to EU: We Go Our Way, You Go Yours

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has held a speech in Eyüp district of İstanbul in an opening ceremony.

In the ceremony, which Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu did not attend, he commented on the European Union laying down conditions for providing visa liberalisation as “You go your way, we go ours” and has noted that Turkey should introduce presidential system.

Erdoğan has also congratulated Davutoğlu, declaring that he would resign from the party leadership and his position as Prime Minister on the extraordinary congress of Justice and Development Party (AKP), and wished him good luck.

Some headlines from Erdoğan’s speech are as follows:

To EU: “Go make a deal with whomever you wish”

“While Turkey is under the attack of terrorist organizations and their supporters, European Union orders for the visa liberalization: ‘You will change the anti-terror law.

“Why don’t you first change this mindset of yours while you are allowing the terrorist who have set up their tents beside the European Parliament?

“You let the terrorists set up their tents, provide them opportunities and say that you are doing this for the sake of democracy?

“Than you say ‘We will grant you visa but first change this law’. I’m sorry, but come on then, we are going our way. You also go way. Go make a deal with those with whom you can get along.

“There is nothing missing in country’s governing thanks to me”

“Our nation knows that there is nothing missing in country’s governing thanks to the President whom they elected directly with their votes.

“Essentially, that is the reason why I’ve brought up the presidential system.

“Especially passing through the period of uncertainty that arose between the elections of June 7 and November 1 has increased contentedness of our nation”.

“No return”

“There is no return from the point we’ve reached. I believe that the new constitution along with the other needs will be prepared in a way to enable institutionalization of this government mode.

“I explicitly declare here one more time. New constitution issue is not personal issue of Tayyip Erdoğan. Presidency is not personal demand of Erdoğan”.

“Patriot MPs”

“You see what happened in Parliamentary General Assembly, in the commission, right? Ah my fellows, you can’t see such things in a country ruled by presidential system.

“They are trying to terrorize Turkey but patriot MPs will not give them that opportunity”. (EKN/DG/TK)