MHP leader denies claims of fracture created in People’s Alliance

ANKARA

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chair Devlet Bahçeli has denied the claims that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent visit to Diyarbakır created a fracture between the components of the People’s Alliance.

“Our eyes and our ears are closed towards a recent campaign targeting the People’s Alliance. The People’s Alliance is stronger than yesterday whatever these evil-minded people say,” Bahçeli told his parliamentary group at a weekly meeting on July 13.

Bahçeli’s statement came after some newspapers claimed that Erdoğan’s visit to Diyarbakır on July 9 drove a wedge between the MHP and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The MHP leader did not mention about Erdoğan’s visit to Diyarbakır but denied any fracture created between the two parties.

“Those who are seeking a crack in our alliance will continue to fail. The People’s Alliance is not a glass vase to be cracked and broken,” he said.

Bahçeli recalled that Turkey would mark the fifth anniversary of the July 15, 2016, coup d’état attempt, which marks a turning point in the country’s history.

“Please, be careful! The foggy clouds over July 15 have not yet been lifted. The key leaders are still on the loose. FETÖ ringleaders are still in the United States and Europe,” he warned.

Criticizing the Western countries for harboring the FETÖ members, Bahçeli called on the U.S. to extradite FETÖ leader Fethullah Gülen to Turkey so that he can be brought to justice.

“If Fethullah Gülen is not a product of the U.S. to be used against Turkey, the U.S. should extradite him to Turkey. It has to do it in respect to our allied spirit,” he suggested.