EU can’t teach democracy lesson to Turkey: Erdogan

Turkey’s president has hit back at the European Union’s condemnation of the Turkish police raids on opposition media, stating that the bloc has no right to give Ankara a "democracy lesson."
"They say they will give a democracy lesson to Turkey. Take the trouble to come here, so that Turkey can give you a lesson in democracy," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech in the city of Konya on Tuesday.
He further criticized Brussels for its dealings with Egypt and Syria, adding that Turkey would never be the EU's "doorman."
    "They've been dragging feet over the last decade.... Sorry, but we are not the EU's doorman," the Turkish president said in reference to accession negotiations between Ankara and the EU, adding, "Let me repeat it, those who try to advise Turkey by shaking their finger, just like a governess, must understand that they are no longer facing the old Turkey."
Erdogan also slammed Europe for "rising racism, Islamophobia and discrimination.”
EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, has called on Turkey to be consistent with its commitments to the new executive administration in Brussels, saying that she was totally “surprised” at the recent arrests of high-profile Turkish media activists.
Turkish security forces stormed the offices of Samanyolu TV network and Zaman daily newspaper in the city of Istanbul on Sunday. Both the television network and the newspaper are said to be close to the self-exiled US-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen.
Erdogan has accused Gulen and his supporters of being behind last year’s online leaks and wiretaps that disclosed major corruption in Erdogan’s inner circle. Gulen has repeatedly denied any involvement.