ANKARA - Turkey`s gendarmery commander expressed thought on Tuesday that laws were insufficient in countering terrorism.
Gen. Isik Kosaner, the gendarmery general commander, said that laws were particularly insufficient in the preventive activities of gendarmery forces.
"It is a fact that laws are insufficient in fight against terrorism as if there is no terrorism in our country, and they are preventing gendarmery forces from taking efficient and rapid action," Kosaner said during a ceremony at the Gendarmery General Command headquarters in Ankara.
Gen. Kosaner handed over his mission to Gen. Atila Isik during the ceremony.
Kosaner said that legal arrangements, made to get adjusted to the European Union, limited authorities of the gendarmery forces to take measures and to take crimes and criminal under control.
"Taking advantage of these changes, the separatist terrorist organization and its legal extensions have increased their activities, and have started to act more freely by misusing the freedoms envisaged by the legal amendments," the general said.
Kosaner said that the command was aware that security should be ensured without making concessions of human rights.
"However, if terrorism is threatening human rights, this means that the balance between rights and freedoms and the measures to be taken needs to be reevaluated," he said.
Gen. Kosaner said that preparing legal amendment bills, envisaging some measures to be taken in case of any need in certain places and at certain periods of time, would contribute to fight against terrorism.
(BRC)
(GEN)