Why were the police angry at anti-ISIL protests?
After the Suruç terrorist attack on July 20, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu called on political parties to issue a joint declaration. “Right at this moment, as leaders of four political parties, when we are engaged in an effort to form a partnership for government, when we are trying to generate shared wisdom, if we agree that the target of this attack is Turkey and Turkey’s democracy, then now the four political party leaders should get together and sign a joint declaration. I am ready to do this,” he said.
Three or four hours after Davutoğlu made this evaluation in the name of “Turkish democracy,” police in Istanbul were using water cannons and tear gas to attack protestors demonstrating against the terrorist attack.
The protests were not limited to Istanbul. Later, almost all protests everywhere else in the country were attacked.
Democracy, after the ISIL attack in Suruç, was subject to police attacks everywhere in the country. Despite the passing of dozens of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and Constitutional Court verdicts, police attacked people who were peacefully condemning terror. Some of the demonstrators were detained.
What kind of an “exemplary” democracy is this?
Who do the police support? Is it because they do not have the swift maneuvering ability of the police chiefs and politicians that they still assume ISIL to be a “friend”?
Also, a note to the editors of newspapers who referred to the protests as “unauthorized demonstrations”: Dear colleagues, there is no need for a permit to hold a protest. This is a basic human right; it is an indispensable part of the right of expression.
There are dozens of ECHR rulings on this matter. The European Convention of Human Rights forms the framework of this.
Spending the nation’s money
The total spending of both the Presidency and the Prime Ministry saw a significant hike in June.
While in the same month last year, the Office of the Prime Ministry spent 16.3 million Turkish Liras, this year it had climbed to 331 million liras. The expenditures of the Presidency rose from 11.4 million liras to 54.3 million liras.
Last year, the spending of the Presidency between January and June was 79.8 million liras. This year, this figure rose to 131.2 million liras. The expenditures of the Prime Ministry in the first six months of this year rose from 486.7 million liras last year to 1.1 billion liras this year.
Neither the president nor the prime minister brought that money from their homes. They did not inherit it from their ancestors either.
This money is our money. It is made up of our taxes. We must know how our money is spent.
I have prepared a multiple-choice test; let us see if you can find the correct answers.
Question: Why did expenditures increase so much compared to last year? Where was the money spent?
a) There was an election. Rallies were held under the pretense of “joint opening ceremonies.” Money was spent there.
b) Last year, there was no palace. Someone else occupied the presidency in a different location. Now, the palace is full of self-evident advisors. Money was spent there.
c) The Office of the Prime Minister spent money on equipping the “aid trucks” of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT).
d) Numerous top model cars were bought and leased for the Presidency and the Prime Ministry. Money was spent there.
e) All of the above.
