...

No need for concern over graft probe, Turkey’s Chief Negotiator Cavusoglu tells EU

Türkiye Materials 10 January 2014 13:24 (UTC +04:00)
No need for concern over graft probe, Turkey’s Chief Negotiator Cavusoglu tells EU
No need for concern over graft probe, Turkey’s Chief Negotiator Cavusoglu tells EU

Turkish EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Mevlut Cavusoglu has called on the 28-nation bloc not to make "unilateral and impatient statements via media" and urged calm over the events following a major graft probe Hurriyet Daily News reported.

"No one should have any concern about Turkey's commitment to the principle of rule of law and obligations stemming from the EU accession process," Cavusoglu wrote on his official Twitter account.

The EU has voiced its concern over the government response to recent graft probes that involve high-profile names and relatives of ruling party members.

A spokesman for the European Commission said Jan. 8 "recent developments" in the country were "a cause of concern."

"We urge Turkey, as a candidate country committed to the political criteria of accession, including the application of the rule of law, to take all the necessary measures to ensure that allegations of wrongdoing are addressed without discrimination or preference in a transparent and impartial manner," said a Commission statement.

Cavusoglu said everybody should respect the ongoing judicial process. "Unilateral and impatient statements via media regarding the on-going legal procedures should be avoided out of respect to the rule of law," the minister wrote. The political turmoil in Turkey erupted mid-December amid allegations of corruption implicating the sons of three ex-ministers and businessmen close to the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has insisted it will overcome the probes, while Erdogan has described it as a "plot" to topple his 11-year government. The government struck back with a wave of police sackings, as well as recent moves in the past days to increase control over the judiciary.

Tags:
Latest

Latest