Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AKP) government spokesperson Numan Kurtulmuş said on Saturday that independence means calling an infidel an infidel without beating around the bush.
“We have to take seriously this issue of independence. For us, independence means calling an infidel an infidel,” said Kurtulmuş during a party meeting in Kastamonu province.
Bringing to mind the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915 against the British and French armies as an example of “calling infidel an infidel,” Kurtulmuş said: “For us, ‘infidel’ is not a name given to non-Muslims but to tyrants, cruel people and imperialists. We will not bend or kneel to anybody but Allah.” said Kurtulmuş.
Reacting to critics from the West about a state of emergency that has been in effect since a failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, Kurtulmuş added: “We will not take seriously the words of others on this issue. When it [the state of emergency] is no longer needed, the decision will be made by the independent Turkish government, and we will put that decision into practice.”