REPORT: Turkish ruling party says no early elections after protests -...

3^min

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party on Saturday said there was no question of calling early elections after a week of the fiercest anti-government protests in decades.

"Local elections will be held in March 2014, presidential elections in August 2014, and general elections in June 2015, and a change in the schedule is out of the question," Deputy Chairman Huseyin Celik told reporters after a meeting of the AK Party's executive committee.

Earlier, Turkey's prime minister convened his party leadership as demonstrators defied his call for an immediate end to protests which have been running for nine days.

This as protesters, including arts and musicians gathered in the capital Ankara, while thousands continued to occupy Istanbul's central Taksim Square, as Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with top officials from his Justice and Development Party elsewhere in the city.

In Ankara thousands of demonstrators gathered at Kolej Square, and marched to the capital's main square, Kizilay.The events was organized by arts unions and artists, art workers, actors, actresses and musicians united to show their reaction against the ruling party's plans to close down drama, opera, orchestra and choir houses run as public organizations.

The protests began as a sit-in at a park in Taksim Square to prevent a redevelopment project that would replace the park with replica Ottoman barracks and a shopping mall. The mall idea seems to have fallen by the wayside, with Erdogan recently saying an opera house, theater and possibly a museum would be built instead.

But violent intervention by police to eject the protesters on May 31 outraged many, and the protests spread to dozens of cities across Turkey.

Over the past nine days of demonstrations and frequent violent confrontations with police, three people have been killed two protesters and a policeman and thousands have been injured.

The protests have attracted a broad array of people angered by what they say are Erdogan's increasingly autocratic ways and his intervention in private lives. They point to attempts to curtail the selling and promotion of alcohol, his comments on how women should dress and statements that each woman should have at least three children.

Over the past week, protesters mainly young, secular and middle-class, but also including some religious Muslims who were formerly Erdogan supporters have set up camp in Taksim Square and its Gezi Park. They have vowed to remain there until the development project for the area is canceled something Erdogan has shown no signs of being willing to do.

AP/REUTERS

For the full report please click on the VIDEO above