Ex-intelligence chief Fidan visits AKP branch in Ankara

ANKARA

Former intel chief Hakan Fidan (C), who was playing a key role in talks to find a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue, is seen at the AKP branch at the capital city of Ankara. He resigned from his seat to be an MP candidate. DHA Photo

The former chief of the National Intelligence Agency (MİT), Hakan Fidan, who recently resigned from his post in order to run in the June 7 general elections by becoming a nominee on the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) ticket, visited the provincial branch of the party in Ankara Feb. 23.

Fidan resigned early in February to run for parliament for Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s ruling AKP, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan then stunning commentators by saying he did not approve of the move.

“I do not view Hakan Fidan’s candidacy positively,” Erdoğan said in televised comments at Istanbul airport before heading on a visit to Latin America on Feb. 8.

“I said this to the respected prime minister. I am saying this openly and clearly. But this is a decision of the respected prime minister and the government;” he said.

The resignation of the former MİT chief to run for an AKP seat shows that the agency has become politicized, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said on Feb. 11.

“We were saying this before, but they were denying it. Now the truth has come to light,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.