Nationalist Movement Party accuses AKP of ‘insulting nationalism’

ANKARA

MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli. AA Photo

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has accused Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of leading the country to a high level of tension through his “provocative attitude.”

Speaking at a press conference following a meeting of his party’s provincial chairs, Bahçeli said that “humiliating and abasing Turkish nationalism has become a popular trend” due to the policies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

“The prime minister, who acts as a provocateur by classifying Turkish nationalism under the same category as racism and separatism has the biggest responsibility for today’s environment of high tension,” he said.

“If ‘the language of sincerity’ means having separatist and destructive intentions, we will either quell this language … or reject it,” Bahçeli added.

The MHP leader’s remarks were an apparent response to Erdoğan’s statement on Feb. 13 when he said: “Bahçeli’s world and our world are very different. Firstly, Bahçeli should learn the language of sincerity.
The lesson given by our nation is obvious, but he has failed to learn the language of sincerity.”

Erdoğan was responding to Bahçeli’s charge questioning his “sincerity,” regarding his recent visit to retired General Ergin Saygun, a former senior military officer who was released from prison after undergoing a serious heart operation.