MHP slams ruling AKP over unfurling of party’s flag at rally

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

MHP's flag was unfurled during the AKP's mass rally today in Ankara, prompting Turkish PM Erdoğan to thank the group. AA photo

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) launched a swift probe into the unfurling of the party’s flag at the Justice and Development Party (AKP) rally today in Ankara and harshly criticized the ruling party for provoking the nationalists.

“The prime minister, who has been surrendered to the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] and began negotiations with the İmralı villain [Abdullah Öcalan] will not be able to save himself from passing into history as a black stain as he attempted to exploit the Three Crescents,” Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the MHP, said in a written statement. Bahçeli called the move “a provocation” aiming at degrading the nationalist opposition.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan thanked the group that participated in the rally with the MHP’s Three Crescent flag. Bahçeli vowed that those who could dare to unfurl the party’s flag would soon be identified. An immediate delegation went to the Etimesgut and Sincan branches of the MHP to start an inquiry about the incident.

Mehmet Şandır, deputy parliamentary group leader of the MHP denied that those who unfurled the party’s flag were not members of the MHP. “No one can call those who attend the AKP rally MHP members. This is surely a trick by Melih Gökçek [Ankara’s Mayor],” Şandır said.

Meral Akşener, deputy Parliament Speaker from the MHP ranks, said it was a provocative move by the AKP and denied that those who attended the rally were members of the party.