PM Erdogan lashes out at former President Demirel
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 03, 2006 09:54
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan set aside the sharpest of criticism yesterday at a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development (AKP) Party members for former President of the Turkish Republic, Suleyman Demirel, who, 3 days ago on a television program, was quoted as saying "Let those who want to study while wearing headscarves go to Saudi Arabia."
Said Erdogan in reference to this statement, "Let those who want to send the children of this country to another address first go themselves." While he was speaking, the voices of other AKP MPs could be heard urging Demirel to "go to Patagonia."
Speaking before his AKP group, Erdogan also said: "Our people would not have brought those who were unable to answer their needs to power in this government. But unfortunately, there are still those who do not understand this. These are characters who, when you examines their pasts, would say one thing in the morning, and a completely different thing in the evening. Let no one try to send the children of this country to a different address....The address of this country's children is clear: it is soil of a 780 thousand square kilometer Turkey. How can anyone have the authority to stand up and tell people here 'Go to Saudi Arabia?' Who gives you that authority?"
Erdogan finished, saying "These people (referring to Demirel and other opposition) still think they can trick the eyes of the people of this country. But that period has long past....We do not even expect that these people, who are incapable of imagining anything, could imagine our vision of Turkey."
Speaking before his AKP group, Erdogan also said: "Our people would not have brought those who were unable to answer their needs to power in this government. But unfortunately, there are still those who do not understand this. These are characters who, when you examines their pasts, would say one thing in the morning, and a completely different thing in the evening. Let no one try to send the children of this country to a different address....The address of this country's children is clear: it is soil of a 780 thousand square kilometer Turkey. How can anyone have the authority to stand up and tell people here 'Go to Saudi Arabia?' Who gives you that authority?"
Erdogan finished, saying "These people (referring to Demirel and other opposition) still think they can trick the eyes of the people of this country. But that period has long past....We do not even expect that these people, who are incapable of imagining anything, could imagine our vision of Turkey."