Istanbul mayor job focus of politicians
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hurriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 28, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - A controversy over Istanbul’s mayoral candidates engulfed the ruling and main opposition parties' agendas yesterday, after the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, announced its rising star as the candidate for Turkey’s largest metropolis.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan mocked the CHP nomination of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the party's parliamentary group deputy leader and the champion of his party for live TV debates, where he once brought corruption claims against senior figures of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP. "He can not even find an addressee in Istanbul," said Erdoğan, speaking to his lawmakers yesterday, only months before the local elections on March 29.
"They are sixteen years late," Erdoğan further argued, responding to Kılıçdaroğlu’s recent remarks that he would "wear the boots and stroll amid the shanty towns of Istanbul." "Now all those areas are covered with asphalt," Erdoğan said.
CHP leader, Deniz Baykal, defended his candidate, and argued that the government is scared to lose Istanbul to Kılıçdarıoğlu. "The prime minister is in a state of panic, as Kılıçdaroğlu represents honesty and integrity. When Kılıçdaroğlu wins the Istanbul elections, all schemes and wrongdoings of those in power will be unveiled," said Baykal.
Baykal also claimed that a malign feeling, which he summarized as "he embezzles but he serves," has dominated public opinion in recent years.
’Don’t turn Silivri into another Guantanamo’
While Erdoğan did not mention the developments in the Ergenekon case in his parliamentary speech, Baykal warned against procedural errors in the execution of the Ergenekon investigation. Baykal compared the Silivri prison, where the accused in the Ergenekon case are being held, to the U.S. prison in Guantanamo, which U.S. President Obama has pledged to shut down. "Silivri must not become an AKP Guantanamo. Secrecy of the case has been violated. This is a lynching attempt. Neither the general staff nor the police are aware of such an organization," Baykal argued.
Baykal denied the government was making a genuine effort to wipe out the mafia nested within the state. "There is no relation to the clean hands operation, since Turkey is in under the direction of dirty hands," Baykal said.
"They are sixteen years late," Erdoğan further argued, responding to Kılıçdaroğlu’s recent remarks that he would "wear the boots and stroll amid the shanty towns of Istanbul." "Now all those areas are covered with asphalt," Erdoğan said.
CHP leader, Deniz Baykal, defended his candidate, and argued that the government is scared to lose Istanbul to Kılıçdarıoğlu. "The prime minister is in a state of panic, as Kılıçdaroğlu represents honesty and integrity. When Kılıçdaroğlu wins the Istanbul elections, all schemes and wrongdoings of those in power will be unveiled," said Baykal.
Baykal also claimed that a malign feeling, which he summarized as "he embezzles but he serves," has dominated public opinion in recent years.
’Don’t turn Silivri into another Guantanamo’
While Erdoğan did not mention the developments in the Ergenekon case in his parliamentary speech, Baykal warned against procedural errors in the execution of the Ergenekon investigation. Baykal compared the Silivri prison, where the accused in the Ergenekon case are being held, to the U.S. prison in Guantanamo, which U.S. President Obama has pledged to shut down. "Silivri must not become an AKP Guantanamo. Secrecy of the case has been violated. This is a lynching attempt. Neither the general staff nor the police are aware of such an organization," Baykal argued.
Baykal denied the government was making a genuine effort to wipe out the mafia nested within the state. "There is no relation to the clean hands operation, since Turkey is in under the direction of dirty hands," Baykal said.