A trial was opened against university student Nihal Çarıkçı upon the complaint of State Minister Egeman Bağış on the grounds of an egg attack. The 21-year-old student from the Ankara University Faculty of Political Science threw an egg at the minister when he visited the Department in October this year.

In the indictment, Ankara Public Prosecutor Fuat Hazel assessed Çarıkçı's offence as an "insult of a public official because of his duty". Çarıkçı is facing up to two years in jail.

As reported by Vatan newspaper, the Ankara 6^th Magistrate Criminal Court accepted the indictment and scheduled the first hearing for 10 February 2011.

Complaint filed at local police station

Minister Bağış attended a conference at the Political Science Department of Ankara University on 18 October 2010. Student Nihal Çarıkçı from the Department for International Relations threw an egg to Bağış when he was about to enter his staff car after the conference.

Bağış went to the Cebeci Police Station and filed a complaint, putting forward that his black jacket had been stained because of the egg.

In a previous statement Bağış had said, "If only these rascal had not thrown the eggs but brought them together with a sausage, we could have sat down in a civilized manner and discuss. Hopefully, Turkey will see these days as well". (BB)

* Sources: Vatan newspaper, ntvmsnbc.com.