Turkish PM Slams Egypt’s Junta Over Parliament Dissolution
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized Egypt’s ruling military council over dissolving the country’s parliament and failing to hand over power to the people.
In a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Egyptian junta’s move to dissolve the parliament was “against the will of the Egyptian people.”
“Parliamentarian democracy will never accept such decisions. The military council acts disrespectfully to the popular will by taking such decisions and deeming the parliament non-existing,” Erdogan said.
The prime minister expressed hope that Egyptians would form a legislative parliament that reflects their will.
“In a democracy, rules are clearly defined. Once you embark on that road, you cannot introduce new rules. Unfortunately, those new rules have been established in Egypt, and this disrespects the will of the Egyptian people,” he said.
Erdogan also expressed support to Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in his efforts to democratize the country, pledging continued support for Egyptian people and “fulfill its obligations for their prosperity and public order.”
On Sunday, Morsi issued a decree reinstating the dissolved parliament in defiance of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which dissolved the parliament on June 14 in line with an earlier ruling by the Supreme Constitutional Court.
Upon a decree from Morsi, the Egyptian lawmakers reconvened on Tuesday, a month after the country’s high court dissolved the parliament.
The military had earlier warned that the decision to dissolve the parliament must be upheld, saying all state authorities should respect the constitution. But the president and lawmakers argue that the parliament’s dissolution was itself unconstitutional.
Under a constitutional declaration issued on June 17, the junta also took control of the state budget and gave itself veto power over a new constitution, making the new president almost powerless.
Presstv
