Tapes are ‘as real as Ararat’: Main opposition CHP leader

ANKARA

The CHP leader played the leaked phone conversation, allegedly between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his son Bilal Erdoğan, into the microphone during the meeting. AA Photo

The head of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, has claimed that the leaked voice recording of a conversation between the prime minister and his son is genuine.

“We verified them with three or four different sources. These tapes are as real as Mount Ararat or Mount Erciyes,” Kılıçdaroğlu, told his lawmakers at his parliamentary group meeting Feb. 25.

During the meeting, the CHP leader played the leaked phone conversation, allegedly between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his son Bilal Erdoğan, into the microphone.

“You transferred dollars, euros, and Turkish Liras using cars and trucks. But new things will be disclosed soon. My advice to you: Take a helicopter and flee abroad and resign. Those who rob the state cannot stay in the Prime Ministry. We can no longer have Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as the prime minister. The government has lost its legitimacy,” he said.

“What saddens me most is to see Erdoğan make his own children a part of his theft,” Kılıçdaroğlu added. “Be sure that I do not feel sorry for Erdoğan, but for his children. Isn’t it a pity for them that you have involved them in your theft?”

The prime minister had complained that even his cryptographic telephones had been eavesdropped on, but Kılıçdaroğlu said this was no defense. “These cryptographic telephones have not been given to you to cover up your corruption. They were given to you to conduct state affairs,” he said. 

The main opposition leader recalled that a WikiLeaks document revealed in 2010 claimed that Erdoğan had eight bank accounts in Switzerland. Erdoğan strongly denied the allegations.

“A liar cannot be the prime minister. It’s the first time in our history that we see a prime minister robbing his people,” Kılıçdaroğlu said. 

Parliament TV interrupted its broadcast of the CHP group meeting when Kılıçdaroğlu started to play the leaked tape between Erdoğan and his son. The CHP leader later criticized Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek for the decision and also slammed the media organizations that followed Parliament TV’s lead.

“The entire family could be in dirt up to their neck and you won’t see it. The entire world will see, but you won’t ... You will have the same responsibility the chief thief has,” he said.