He likened the coup plotters to “terrorists wearing military uniforms”. It is for parliament to decide.
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“Our assistance to Greece and other countries under pressure continues, our measures to tackle the root causes of migration and preparations for the rapid roll-out of the new European Border and Coast Guard which was approved by the European Parliament and Council before the summer, among many other measures”, she added.
“They say there is no death penalty in the EU”. The last execution was carried out in 1984. I salute the democratic martyrs of July 15 from heart.
Ankara agreed in March to stop people crossing into Greece in exchange for financial aid being revived, the promise of visa-free travel for its citizens to much of Europe and accelerated European Union membership talks.
“We believe the Indian authorities already had that information”, he said, when asked if Indian authorities were informed of Fethullah’s Mumbai connection with last month’s coup bid in Turkey.
Even Erdogan’s opponents saw his continued leadership as preferable to a successful coup renewing the cycle of military interventions that dogged Turkey in the second half of the 20th century.
Authorities pulled out all the stops to ensure massive participation.
Flyers were distributed around Istanbul that read: “The triumph belongs to democracy, the squares belong to the people”. Turkey accuses the West of showing more concern over a post-coup crackdown than over the bloody events themselves.
But it was also the first time in decades major opposition parties joined a rally in support of the Government in the country of nearly 80 million.
“The Turkish state is here, with all its institutions, political parties and all sectors of the republic”.
Religious leaders and two of Turkey’s three opposition parties attended the rally, sitting next to Erdogan, who arrived on a helicopter with his wife, Emine.
Turkey’s consul general to India, Erdal Sabri Ergen, on Wednesday said that the coup attmept in his country on July 15th had connections in India.
Yildirim said the government would not be motivated by revenge, but by the desire to see justice served. He also said it would never forsake democracy.
“Without Russia it is impossible to find a solution to the problems in Syria”. We all need to draw lessons from this [coup attempt]. “We know that this game, this scenario, is far beyond their league”, Erdogan said. It was framed by two platforms and draped with massive national flags and banners depicting Turkey’s founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
MHP leader Bahceli praised the Turkish people for going up against bullets “as if they were walking into a rose garden” and for protecting the country’s honour.
“You are announcing the good word of Turkey being born again”. The nation is here. “If it is approved, I openly declare that I will sign this law”, said President Erdogan.
Thousands of alleged supporters of Mr Gulen have been detained or dismissed from government jobs.
Sunday’s event began with a minute of silence for those who were killed while opposing the coup, followed by the Turkish national anthem and a recitation of prayers. “They will pay a price for what they have done”. “Let no one be in doubt about that”.
But the pro-Kurdish HDP, the third-largest party in parliament, was not invited.
Speaking at the Democracy and Martyrs’ Rally in Istanbul’s Yenikapi district, Erdogan said: “Our presence today upsets our enemies just like it did on the morning of July 16”.
“This sends the wrong message to the world”.
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“As long as we maintain our unity and solidarity, no traitor could harm us”, claimed Devlet Bahceli, leader of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party. “I wish that every single one of our party leaders was here on this important day”.
