Ertugrul Ozkok: Turkish PM's 'one-man ruling' desire matter for EU

We have received details on a number of claims of widespread corruption and embezzlement since last Sunday.

It is like the prime minister pressed a button and opened the flood gates for hundreds of complaints to be released.

Almost all of the details we received are related with corruption at AKP held municipalities.

It is clear that society has started to understand that close relatives of Erdogan own 70 percent of newly established facilities.

Examples of that hospital over there, a factory here, and this institution...

All re-zoning activities are considered equivalent to the Saban Disli case.

Of course, all these claims suggesting the premier's family is involved in many varied businesses are just rumours.

This is the impression that is spreading across the country.

The image of family dynasty...

It is not my, but premier’s business to think about this.

Politics that started with the strict aim of fighting corruption, turned into a wide-held belief.

In my point of view, the prime minister should first seek ways of correcting this image instead of working to suppress us and trying to form a media with a monotone voice.

Because, the perception would most certainly become reality.

* * *

For three days I have been pondering whether the premier had a wise strategic plan in mind before he began his attacks to suppress.

I decided however that there was no wise planning carried out prior to his attack, particularly after I saw the press conference held by three AKP members of parliament.

It became very clear as the three AKP MPs failed to find excuses beyond the typical conspiracy theory in their defense of the premier in the ongoing Deniz Feneri case.

What they say is;

Germany is a country known for creating conspiracy theories surrounding Turkey.

I wonder what Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan thinks about the rancid conspiracy theories surrounding his party?

What will his response be when the foreign minister of our biggest EU member trading partner asks him about this theory. Will he say, "Yes, my party is right. You are forming - a plot against us"?

Ladies and gentlemen we should not forget that the AKP is the ruling party and its members could not sink so low as to hope to benefit from the conspiracy theories of marginal newspapers and magazines.

The wise members of the party should end such strategic depravity.

* * *

If we speak about the mood of the premier.

I see that his recent arguments failed to find support in EU circles.

He cannot because with his actions he is clearly attempting to suppress the press.

He does not like opposition.

He does not like rejection.

He cannot digest the claims of corruption that are being voiced involving members of his party.

Our prime minister is not a democrat.

He referred to himself as a democrat throughout the closure case, but the dictatorship awakened the moment his confidence returned.

He desires to rule as Saddam Hussein did.

Reportedly, Turkey would open the full membership chapters for the European Union, would it not?

Forget about opening that chapter, the prime minister is preparing to close the chapter on freedom of the press.

* * *

What Sedat Ergin, editor-in-chief of Milliyet daily, said yesterday was absolutely correct.

The Erdogan dictatorship issue is no longer a matter solely for Turkey, but for the European Union.

I do not think that European leaders, who were sensitive about Turkey's democracy during the AKP closure case, will remain silent about freedom of the press.

That is because the direction of prime minister's unchecked "march" is gradually departing from Europe's democratic values and moving in the direction of the dictatorial tendencies of our east.

There is no town ruled like this in Copenhagen...