Main opposition denies making call to foreigners not to visit Turkey

ANKARA

A main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy chair denied on Aug. 12 that party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu called on foreigners not to visit Turkey, a claim that triggered heavy government criticism. 

“Our chair did not say ‘do not visit Turkey.' He never makes such a statement," said the CHP's Bulent Tezcan.
 
"He says in all speeches that there is no life and property safety in Turkey under the state of emergency conditions,” Tezcan said. 

Following the CHP head’s interview with the German magazine Focus published on Aug. 5, the AKP intensified its criticism against him, accusing the CHP leader of acting as “the mouthpiece of foreign lobbies operating against Turkey.”

Kılıçdaroğlu allegedly told Focus that “German tourists should not visit Turkey,” a statement the CHP leader denies making, demanding a correction from the magazine.