No: 93, 30 March 2018, Press Release Regarding the Statement Adopted by the Portuguese Parliament on Operation Olive Branch

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Dışişleri Bakanlığı 30.03.2018

The statement made by the Portuguese Parliament on March 29, 2018 is full of unfounded allegations, that are far from reality, as well as factual and legal errors. Drafted from the mouth of the PYD/YPG terrorist organization that has now become desperate in the face of the Turkish Armed Forces and the Free Syrian Army, this statement can in no way be accepted or taken seriously.

It is regrettable that the Portuguese Parliament has allowed itself to become an instrument for a terrorist organization’s propaganda. Evidently written in ideological blindness detached from reality, this statement will have no other effect than tarnishing the reputation of the Portuguese Parliament.

Operation Olive Branch is a counter-terrorism operation carried out on the basis of international law in order to ensure Turkey’s national security as well as the security of its borders. This Operation has proven that counter-terrorism can be conducted without harming civilians or damaging civilian infrastructure. The baseless nature of the allegations of the terrorist organization’s black propaganda are exposed one by one. We invite the Portuguese Parliament, which appears to be ignorant of these facts, to support our country’s efforts in fighting terrorism and to display solidarity with our country against terrorism instead of supporting terrorism by giving credit to disinformation activities targeting Turkey.