Connections behind Karlov murder should be enlightened: MHP head Bahçeli

ANKARA

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The connections behind the murder of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov should be investigated, opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has said, especially as the assassination was committed by a police officer.

“The fact that the terrorist act was carried out by a police officer should be a point that must be emphasized,” Bahçeli said in a written statement on Dec. 20, adding that the aforementioned fact constitutes a “suspicious side” to the incident, as he characterized it as “sorrowful and noteworthy.” 

“The connections, if there are any, of the assassin who shot the Russian ambassador should be brought to light. It must be enlightened as to whom he was used by,” he added. 

Noting that Turkey was experiencing “very high risks and dangers,” Bahçeli added that “terrorism and its supporting dark centers” were trying every “abominable” way to “shake Turkey’s will and harm its image.” 

“Terrorist attacks are continuing intensely, and this time an assassination was staged,” he said. 

In his written statement, the MHP head also said the “devilish and bloody attack” would have consequences in the Middle Eastern axis in addition to the possibility of it harming Turkish-Russian relations.

“However, the messages of common sense coming from both countries and the statements that the sides won’t fall to provocations have eased the burden of anxious expectations and hesitation. It must be seen that the terrorist attacks, assassinations, societal boiling and political and economic depression serve the purpose of weakening Turkey and blurring its prestige and trustworthiness,” he said. 

Furthermore, Bahçeli said Turkey “is going through extremely unfortunate and uncertain days.”

“Despite all the hostile developments, Turkey has the power to go beyond the hard days that it has been pushed into and thwart the attacks,” he added. 

Noting that he believed that the relations between Turkey and Russia were “established, permanent and deep,” Bahçeli said relations “cannot be sacrificed to terrorism.” 

“No reason or excuse can justify the killing of an ambassador who was entrusted to Turkey. I offer my condolences to the Russian people and the state and harshly condemn this baseless assassination,” he also said.