IZMIR - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday those who are criticizing the government after the cross-border operation should either prove that they were making right criticisms, or they should shut up.
"If our Chief of General Staff says `I will take my uniform off` and if the Prime Minister says `I will take the political clothing off`, you should either show evidence and prove your criticisms right or you shut up," he told in a gathering of his party in Aegean province of Izmir.
Erdogan said, "if you do not shut up, the nation will make you shut up at ballot boxes one day."
PM Erdogan said fight against terrorism is not solely comprised of military measures, but also it requires political, economic, social, psychological and cultural measures.
"We have made investments in the east and southeast (of Turkey) which have not seen any investment in the last 79 years. Our infrastructural investments in east and southeast amount to 7.5 billion USD. We also constructed 46,000 dwellings, and aim to complete the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) in five years," he told.
Erdogan said his party embraces all 70 million citizens, but fights against the terrorist organization in order to cut its financial and logistic support.
"The number of terrorists neutralized, and the targets hit indicate a great success. However, in my opinion a bigger success was reached in fading the hopes of the terrorist organization and hampering its will," he told.
Addressing the opposition, Erdogan said, "do not make politics over the army and overshadow the successful operation."
"Unfortunately, this meaningless discussion which started before our heroes returned to their barracks and took off their boots, is overshadowing this success. I do not see any national interest in insisting on this discussion," he also said.
On the other hand, Erdogan said AK Party government is not a government that acts upon the orders of another country.
"We make consultations with whatever the other country is. We also make consultations with political parties, then decide and proceed," he also said.

-DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS BEFORE CROSS-BORDER OPERATION-
Participating in another meeting at the Hilton Izmir, Erdogan said, "no country built a wall before us in this operation and nobody said `Turkey is doing wrong`, thanks to our diplomatic contacts."

-BALKANS & AFRICA-
Erdogan said he will visit Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Bulgaria from March 25th and 28th, and Turkey plans to open ten new embassies in African continent this year.
(BRC-MS)