Europe should make certain efforts in order to return to the previous level of relations with Turkey, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland expressed this opinion.
"During my recent visit to Ankara, I saw the substantial damage caused to the Turkish parliament by jet fighters controlled by those behind the coup attempt. Such violence cannot be tolerated on European soil," Hurriyet Daily News quoted him as saying.
"Whatever your view of the current government, we can all agree that any attempt to overthrow a legitimate, democratically elected government by force is unacceptable. In modern Europe, such an assault on democratic institutions is an affront to us all," he stressed.
"Turkey is clearly frustrated with what it sees as European leaders’ failure to recognize the deep impact of the coup on Turkish society," Jagland noted.
"If we wish to have a positive influence on Turkey, it is necessary to show solidarity and understand the current Turkish mind-set. Moreover, I am convinced that Europe now needs to engage more with Turkey, not less," he said.
He also pointed out that "reports of excessive and indiscriminate measures to clamp down on those believed to have been connected to the failed coup are alarming. Turkey used its right to derogate from the European Convention of Human Rights, but the convention continues to apply under the supervision of the European Court of Human Rights. Thus, any measures taken have to be strictly necessary and proportionate to the nature of the threat faced by the authorities."
That is why he believes that "a far-reaching purge of public officials, journalists and academics which incriminates the innocent will only deepen divisions and mistrust in society. It will leave state institutions fragile and have a chilling effect on the media, which, even before the coup attempt, suffered from undue limits on freedom of expression."
"The Council of Europe for its part will seek every opportunity to build trust and provide assistance and expertise to Turkey’s authorities," he stated.
