Prime Minister sends harsh reply to CHP letter

Main opposition head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s allegations of corruption among government ranks have failed to convince the people, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, urging the party leader to shift to “serious politics.”

Erdoğan’s remarks came in a reply sent to the chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), after Kılıçdaroğlu urged him in a letter last month to take action on allegations of an extensive bribery network at Kayseri municipality, which is held by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

“The overwhelming majority of our people have denied credit to your political style and have not taken your allegations seriously,” Erdoğan said, according to Anatolia news agency.

“I believe you will expend greater efforts to make sure the allegations you share with the public are sound, justified and based on facts. I wish you success, hoping that you will reassess your guides who have misled you so far,” the prime minister said.

Pointing to the five election victories of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) since 2002, Erdoğan offered Kılıçdaroğlu “friendly advice” saying that “the pre-condition for success and respect in politics is dealing with serious topics and focusing on policies aimed at resolving the people’s problems.”

Erdoğan said accusations of bribery at the Kayseri municipality had been repeatedly “debunked” and that all related documents, including a notebook that allegedly kept a record of the bribes, had been handed over to the judiciary.