Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ömer Çelik held a press conference on the failed coup attempt of the terrorist organisation FETÖ

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ömer ÇELİK met with representatives of Turkish and foreign media agencies and gave them information on current affairs in the light of developments after the failed coup attempt of the terrorist organisation FETÖ.

Minister Ömer Çelik stated that Turkish democracy has been subject to the toughest challenge in its history. Minister Ömer Çelik added:

“The founding value of the EU is democracy. Turkish people demonstrated in the best possible way that they own up to their democracy. Turkish people with the institutions of the state opposed the coup attempt together.”

Minister Ömer Çelik stated that the EU should consider July 15 as a new starting point by accelarating its relations with Türkiye. He underlined that Türkiye has the required capacity to pursue the reform process and noone should underestimate Turkish democracy.

In his press conference, Minister Ömer Çelik called upon his counterparts in Europe to observe the situation objectively and stand by Turkish democracy.

“No European official came to Türkiye in the wake the failed coup attempt to show solidarity with our President or PM save UK Europe Minister.  If it were the migration issue, they would have visited Ankara in a row in a couple days. Sorry to see that they failed in the democracy test. Statements with a single sentence to condemn coup attempt and questioning our democratic credentials in length only serve to the coup plotters.”

Minister Ömer Çelik concluded his remarks by saying:

“Some of our European friends think that the coup attempt is a pokemon game. Everyone in Türkiye was under life threat on the night of July 15. They should come to Türkiye and see what really the coup threat is”.