Turkish Prime Minister criticizes European leaders

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

The debt-hit European economy is now paying the cost for the neglect of crucial measures, Turkey’s prime minister has said while urging European leaders to cease prioritizing their personal interests.

“The crisis that European economy is going through right now is a result of the crucial steps which were not taken in the past,” said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said during the governing Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) group meeting in Parliament yesterday.

“Implementing those steps urgently with determination is important,” said Erdoğan, adding that founding a joint mechanism within Europe was becoming “inevitable.”

“European political leaders should put their personal interest aside and highlight the future of the European economy,” he said, adding that Italy had started to show the symptoms of a serious economic crisis following Greece and Spain.

“Thanks to God, Turkey has been on the safe side during this period,” said Erdoğan, adding that Turkey had always steered clear of populism during its European Union candidacy talks.

“Turkey has fulfilled the Maastricht Criteria which is seen as the criteria of the European Union way better than many member countries,” Turkish President Abdullah Gül said after meeting with Hungarian President Pal Schmitt in Ankara. “Holding Turkey’s membership process captive will turn against the European Union,” added Gül