Kaljurand: Turkey no longer a candidate if death penalty reintroduced
Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand (independent) said to ETV’s “Aktuaalne Kaamera” on Monday that Turkey needed to adhere to the principles of law and order when deciding the fate of those who had participated in the attempted coup last weekend.
Kaljurand confirmed that the European Union wishes to continue its relations with a democratic and stable country based on the rule of law.
She added that Turkey had the EU’s full support for its elected government, its constitutions, and institutions - but that on the other hand the union reiterated that those found guilty of participating in the attempted coup needed to be treated according to the principle of the rule of law.
Asked if Turkey could still join the EU if it reintroduced capital punishment, Kaljurand said that this was out of the question.
The minister added that so far, 7,000-8,000 people had been arrested in the aftermath of the coup, and that this certainly raised questions. The arrests had been made in a very short time, and the worry now was how they would be put on trial.
Kaljurand also said that it was hard to imagine that 3,000 judges had taken part in the attempt to overthrow the government.
The meeting of the union’s foreign ministers Kaljurand attended in Brussels on Monday concentrated on the events in Turkey, as well as on the fight against terrorism. Another talking point was the union’s global strategy.
Kaljurand also met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to talk about cooperation in various matters of foreign policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn
