İYİ Party leader urges action against Biden statement

ANKARA- Anadolu Agency

İYİ (Good) Party leader Meral Akşener on April 28 criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for not reacting harsher against U.S. President Joe Biden for his statement designating 1915 events as a “genocide.”

“The Turkish nation is waiting for a step from you,” Akşener said, calling on Erdoğan.

Akşener said her party was expecting the government to take a bold step against the U.S. administration, which last week used the word “genocide” for the first time to describe the mass deportation of the Ottoman Armenians during the First World War, such as restrictions on the use of strategic military bases.

“We were waiting for a move for the Kürecik and İncirlik [air] bases. We were waiting for him to discuss security and cooperation projects,” she said, addressing her parliamentary group meeting.

She also criticized Erdoğan over the government’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak and called on for a support package during the full lockdown.

“Don’t just say ‘we’re closing.’ The state should mobilize opportunities, announce a support package,” Akşener noted.

Turkey recently also expanded curfews and lockdowns for nearly three weeks in order to curb increasing infections.