HALC: Erdogan response to Turkey protests “defiant,” “tone-deaf”June 4, 2013 - 13:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) slammed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s response to the currently raging anti-government protests. “Erdogan has said some pretty extraordinary things. His reaction has been called “defiant,” “tone-deaf,” and indicative of his “reputation for arrogance”,” HALC said, citing some of his worst statements since the protests began last week. Erdogan called peaceful protestors “extremists” who align themselves with terrorism. He further called the protestors “bums,” promising to build a mosque in Taksim square. “We will build a mosque in Taksim and we do not need the permission of the CHP [Republican People's Party, the main opposition party in Parliament] or of a few bums to do it,” Erdogan said. “There is now a menace which is called Twitter. The best examples of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society,” he said. Erdogan also noted that all attempts [to influence government] apart from the ballot box “are not democratic.” “If this is about holding meetings, if this is a social movement, where they gather 20, I will get up and gather 200,000 people. Where they gather 100,000, I will bring together one million from my party,” HALC website quoted Erdogan as saying. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |