TUSKON head invites politicians to the business world

ISTANBUL

In a response to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s call to the Fethullah Gülen movement to form a political party, the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) chairman Rıza Nur Meral has called politicians to quit politics and join the business world to make money.

“Politics is a platform where you serve people. It is not a spot to make money or build a fortune,” Meral said at TUSKON’s fifth general meeting March 1. “Businessmen are calling those who tell non-governmental organizations to form a political party, to get into the business world and make money,” Meral said.

TUSKON is known to have close ties with the Fethullah Gülen movement.

Prime Minister Erdoğan, who blames Gülen and his supporters for a graft probe targeting ruling party members, has been challenging the scholar to return to Turkey and confront the Justice and Development Party (AKP) with a political party.

“If you haven’t done anything wrong, don’t stay in Pennsylvania. If your country is Turkey, return home,” Erdoğan said Feb. 28 at an election rally.  “If you want to do politics, hit the streets and do it. But don’t stir disorder in this country and don’t disrupt its peace. Don’t get involved in provocative acts,” Erdoğan said, adding the attack did not only target him personally, but the whole country.