Erdoğan accuses CHP’s Ankara mayoral candidate Yavaş of involvement in ‘shady business’
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has joined an onslaught against the opposition’s mayoral capital for Turkey’s capital Ankara, Mansur Yavaş, accusing him of involvement in “shady business” following an indictment against the latter on charges of misconduct, fraud and forgery.
Speaking to crowds of his adherents at a rally in Ankara’s Yeni Mahalle district, Erdoğan criticized the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for nominating Yavaş, who he accused of involvement in a “shady business after resigning from the CHP when he lost his first attempt at the mayoral race in 2014.”
Erdoğan, however, did not further elaborate on the allegations against Yavaş.
An Ankara prosecutor has prepared an indictment against Yavaş on charges of fraud and forgery only weeks before the local elections. The CHP’s candidate has denied all the accusations against him and said the defendant who filed the complaint against him was already being prosecuted on charges of forgery, fraud and child abuse.
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesmen Ömer Çelik launched the accusations against Yavaş after the indictment was prepared, while Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli called for his withdrawal from the race.
The CHP, however, has said the AKP’s accusations were part of efforts to force Yavaş out of the elections amid fears of losing the capital city after nearly two decades of control to the opposition.
Erdoğan went further to criticize the opposition Nation Alliance, describing them as a “chameleonic alliance.”
“It’s a chameleonic alliance. They are separatists in the east [of Turkey], Atatürkist in the west and nationalists in Ankara,” Erdoğan said, claiming the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) is also a part of the alliance.
“They have taken political associates of the separatist organization [PKK] under their wings, along with the marginal, deviants and the enemies of the adhan [call to prayer] and the flag,” he said, referring to women dispersed by riot police at an International Women’s Day march on March 8 in Istanbul.
“Are we ready to bury this alliance of the chameleon in the ballot box on the March 31? Are you ready to give them an Ottoman slap on March 31? Are we ready to let them resign from politics?” Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan opens giant hospital
Before his election campaign, Erdoğan inaugurated Turkey’s largest city hospital in Ankara. Erdogan attended the opening ceremony of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, the world’s third biggest hospital constructed in one go.
“As we did in the defense industry, we must save our country from foreign dependency in the fields of medicine and medical technology,” Erdoğan said. “We will build a 600-acre health valley and technology development zone for life sciences on the area that Bilkent City Hospital is located,” he added.
Also addressing the inauguration ceremony, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said the city hospitals will stand out with their functionality and provide “ultimate health care services,” cooperating with universities to conduct educational and research activities.
Ankara Bilkent City Hospital currently serves cardiovascular surgery, neurology, oncology, orthopedics and general medicine branches. The hospital has a bed capacity of 3,704 with 131 operation rooms and 904 polyclinics. Turkey’s ninth city hospital, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital will receive 30,000 patients and treat 8,000 emergency patients per day when running in full capacity.
The hospital also houses Turkey’s biggest laboratory, as well as two heliports for airport transfers of patients.
