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Turkish PM: Local elections will be test for AKP

Türkiye Materials 4 February 2014 23:18 (UTC +04:00)
The upcoming local elections on March 30 will be a test for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkey’s prime minister said Feb. 4 after meeting Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, defending his government’s economic record in the last decade amid the ongoing corruption probe, Hurriyet Daily News reported, Hurriyet Daily News reported.
Turkish PM: Local elections will be test for AKP

The upcoming local elections on March 30 will be a test for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkey's prime minister said Feb. 4 after meeting Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, defending his government's economic record in the last decade amid the ongoing corruption probe, Hurriyet Daily News reported, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that if the recent corruption allegations were true, the Turkish economy would not have blossomed during the ruling party's rule since 2002.

"The national income increased from $230 billion to $800 billion. Exports rose from $36 billion to $152 billion. Can a corrupt country or a government achieve this? We are here because there are no such things," Erdogan said, responding to reporters' questions after a conference at the German Council on Foreign Relations.

"We are here because we fought corruption, poverty and prohibitions. We had three general elections, two local elections, two referendums and we have come through all those. Now there is an election on March 30 and the real test is this. If the people choose us as the top party, that means this government is honest," the prime minister said.

Erdogan echoed his comments after a meeting with Merkel. "The point of the election is not who will be elected mayor or not, but which party will get how many votes. This is the reflection in Turkey. I can say this is a test," Erdogan told reporters standing along with Merkel.

For her part, Merkel prodded Turkey over judicial independence, which has been called into question by Ankara's handling of the corruption scandal. She said she and Erdogan agreed to have their justice ministers discuss issues such as the appointment of prosecutors and judges, as well as judicial independence in general.

Asked whether she thought the intensity of the discussion about an independent judiciary in Turkey would have been as high had EU accession chapters been opened previously, Merkel said every country should solve its problems internally, adding that she supported advancing talks on Turkey's membership.

"Every country must follow its own path to democracy [relying upon] its inner strength," she said.

Merkel lends support for accession process

Merkel said she supported opening those sections of Turkey's membership negotiations that address justice and human rights "as soon as possible."

Prior to his talks with Merkel, Erdogan urged Germany to step up support for Turkey's EU bid but acknowledged his country must also press on with reforms. "We expect and would like also to receive support from Germany for the path into the EU and the EU admission process," Erdogan told the German Council on Foreign Relations. "We would like for Germany to campaign [for it] more strongly than it has up until now."

The two also discussed bilateral ties and the Syrian crisis. Merkel praised Turkey's contribution to the Syria refugee crisis, noting that it is now hosting 700,000 Syrians. Merkel called the situation in Syria "intolerable," while calling for talks with Russia and China to help solve the conflict.

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