Main opposition leader accuses Turkish PM of being ‘gang leader’

BALIKESİR

CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu described the prime minister as 'the head of the gang of corruption.' CİHAN photo

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu described the prime minister as “the head of the gang of corruption” during a rally in Balıkesir on Jan. 19.

“We know what this government is doing. We know what you are doing. You are the gang leader. I also know that very well,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

He claimed that on Dec. 17, the day when a gripping graft probe became public with a string of detentions, including those of some ministers’ sons, Turkey “met a reality” for the first time.

“This is the day when the Turkish government robbed the state. Four Cabinet ministers were caught red-handed during corruption,” the CHP head said.

Kılıçdaroğlu added that the local elections on March 30 were the democratic means through which to hold the government to account for this.

“We [the CHP] have a family insurance project. For each household with no income, or with an income less than the minimum wage, we pledge to put 600 Turkish Liras in the bank each month, so that they would not be in a ‘begging’ position. They ask us, ‘How will we find this money?’ Well, the money robbed in the recent graft incident is 247 billion liras, although the actual figure may be more … Who knows the true figure? The ones who stole it know,” he said.