by Bahattin Gonultas
ISTANBUL (AA) – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that the European Parliament’s vote Thursday on whether to suspend Turkey’s talks on joining the EU has “no value” in Turkish eyes.
“There will be a meeting at the European Parliament tomorrow, and they will vote on EU accession talks with Turkey … Whatever the result, this vote has no value in our eyes,” Erdogan told a summit on Islamic economic cooperation in Istanbul.
“No scale can measure the will of the nation that sacrificed their lives for its independence and democracy during the July 15 coup attempt,” he stressed, speaking of a defeated coup that martyred 248 people and injured some 2,200.
Erdogan was speaking at a ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference’s (OIC) Standing Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation (COMCEC).
The Turkish leader said that Turkey’s stability and future battles will not be interrupted by yeas and nays in the European Parliament.
“This nation proved to the entire world on the night of July 15 that it can sacrifice its life for its freedom and dignity if necessary,” he said.
Erdogan stated that although the EP vote will not be binding on Turkey, “It is not possible for me to accept the message that is obviously to be given by the EU.”
Erdogan said that despite exemplifying EU values more than many other countries in the bloc, “our country has not seen real support from the Western countries.”
Erdogan also accused the EU of taking sides with terrorist organizations by holding the vote.
