President Erdoğan accepts visit, rejects TV debate with CHP candidate İnce

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on May 7 accepted a visit offer made by opposition presidential candidate Muharrem İnce, while rejecting his offer to debate on TV.

“I certainly do not want to go to a debate on TV, because we do not want anyone to make a premium. But I can accept his visit [at the ruling Justice and Development Party] building, because acceptance there is a different event. I as a party leader think this would be more correct. We will respond to this offer soon and we will accept them at our party,” Erdoğan said in a press conference in Ankara.

İnce had said on May 6 that he would ask for appointments from other presidential candidates.

“I will ask for an appointment tomorrow [May 7] to meet all the candidates and wish them success. I will talk to whoever makes an appointment. I will visit Mr. Erdoğan if he gives an appointment. If he calls me to presidential palace, I will go there. If he does not, he knows himself. I will also visit Selahattin Demirtaş in Edirne,” he said, referring to the jailed leader of the Kurdish issue-focused Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).