Erdogan ciricizes opposition as being anti-EU

At his ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) group meeting, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said that objections to EU do nothing to preserve Turkey's dignity and prestige. "These objections are not a position meant to preserve secularism either," he added. "Because it would be madness to say that EU was against secularism." Erdogan also said that Turkey gets closer to EU standards every day, but opposition parties are resisting this change. He said that the PKK has become isolated both in Turkey and abroad, leaving the terrorist group on its own. "Everyone has begun abandoning terrorism and terrorists," he explained. "And the terrorist group will either leave this path or be abandoned on this path." Erdogan also said that the government would soon announce a series of new steps to boost economic and social development in eastern and southeastern Turkey.