The events in Turkey, the mass protests that have risen from the environmental to the political level, have led many analysts to wonder about their origins and essence. Who needs the instability in the country? According to the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, there are external forces interested in destabilizing Turkey. However, he stressed that the country will not have a "Turkish Spring."
Erdogan said the Republican People's Party (CHP) is behind the events in Taksim Square. "The opposition forces which failed to come to power through democratic means, try to do so by destabilising the country," Trend quotes Erdogan.
Earlier, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the core of the events was ideological in nature, and that the opposition intends to increase its influence in Istanbul. The Prime Minister criticized countries that called on Turkey to treat the demonstrators more leniently.
In turn, the Turkish President, Abdullah Gul, sees the protests that engulfed various cities of the country as a manifestation of democracy and accepts this signal. "The will of the people is expressed through elections. But democracy is not just about elections. This is an opportunity for the people to express their thoughts, views, and to object in different ways. And peaceful demonstrations are part of democracy," Trend quotes the president as saying.
Gul also called on Turkish citizens to show sanity and serenity. "All we have to do now is calm down and follow the rules. And if there are other views, objections, it is necessary to express them in a peaceful manner. They have already been expressed. Now, on no account should we allow unacceptable behavior that is detrimental to the image of our country," the president said.
According to him, in Turkey, which is a democratic society, there is a need to respect different opinions and views. "Turkey is living under democratic rules. They all fit into the standards of Western democracy. This is a country that believes in the rule of law. We live in an open society. We all have our opinions, attitudes, policy preferences - they are different, all of them must be respected. But love and respect must be mutual," Gul stated.
For several days rallies in support of the protesters in Gezi Park on Taksim Square in downtown Istanbul have been going on in various cities of Turkey. To disperse the demonstrators police have been using tear gas and water cannon. During the riots 536 people have been injured, more than 2,300 are detained. In Ankara, demonstrators demanded the resignation of the government. The demonstrators are supported by half the provinces of Turkey and by many Turks living in Europe.
The protesters oppose the destruction of the park and the construction of a shopping mall in it. It also became known that the 6th Istanbul Administrative Court has decided to suspend construction of the shopping center "Topçu Kışlası" on Taksim Square.
