President, Union of Chambers head deny reports claiming they are forming new political party

ANKARA

The Presidency and the chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) have dismissed claims that they are working to launch a new political party together, as it was reported by daily Sözcü today.

"The report is completely baseless," the Presidency's Information Office said today in a statement.

The report claimed that President Abdullah Gül was trying to launch his own party, which would be headed by TOBB chairman Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu.

Gül was one of the three founders of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2001, along with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç.

Hisarcıklıoğlu, who has headed the nongovernmental association with the most members in Turkey since 2001, said that the report was "purely fiction."

"Our politics is the politics of economy. The office that I represent requires resolving the problems of the business world with the government, the decision-makers and politicians. But I don't have any other desire than this to [engage in politics]," Hisarcıklıoğlu said in a statement.

"Caution should be shown to attempts to direct politics with such forged scenarios," he added.