Remarks by President Donald Tusk on press freedom in Turkey

Answering to a question during a press conference held in Gazientep (Turkey), President Tusk made the following remarks:

"This is one of the permanent topics of our discussions and during our meetings and I think that I am consistent when we come to this topic. I will not comment on specific case. But I have just two more personal reflections today.

First of all, thirty years ago when I was an activist of the illegal opposition to the communist government in Poland I was imprisoned for being critical of the regime. And if I remember well also my good friend, President Erdogan, fifteen years later also had similar experience for expressing his views.

And the second reflection I think it is very simple and obvious: as a politician I have learned and accepted to have thick skin and I have no expectation that the press will treat me with special care; quite the opposite. I think it is a good lesson for all of us, in Turkey, in Europe, in other countries. It is nothing specific geographically.

And the line between criticism, insult and defamation is very thin and relative. The moment politicians begin to decide which is which can mean the end of the freedom of expression, in Europe, in Turkey, in Africa, in Russia, evevywhere.

I hope that in the future, freedom of speech we will not be our main topic during our meetings, thank you. "