President Suleyman Demirel said each and every state has the right to implement its own laws and regulations and that Europe has no right to pressure Turkey not to apply its laws. There are laws in this country and everyone has to abide by them. No one has the privilege of committing a crime and remaining unpunished. This is not the first time such things have happened. Let me tell you clearly, the laws of the Republic of Turkey will be applied in all parts of the country, and to all people.
Turkey is a lawful state.
If someone is arbitrarily persecuted, than you have the right to come forth and complain. Angered by a reporter's question on what Turkey would do if the EU came up with a joint statement condemning the arrests, as it did to Austria, Demirel said there was no connection between the detention of mayors and the EU, or with the EU's treatment of Austria. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit warned the EU against pressuring Turkey. The EU countries have a plan to put us under harsher pressure than before. Ecevit said Turkey would keep up its crack down on the Kurdish separatists and their affiliates.