Turkish opposition leader strikes out at PM Erdoğan’s late-night speech

İZMİR

'The prime minister said a lobby of interest groups was doing this. So, don’t let them,' Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu told reporters in the Aegean province of İzmir. AA photo

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu struck out at Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s statements on the Gezi Park protests upon the latter’s arrival from an African trip. 

During his speech late on June 6, Erdoğan said a lobby of interest groups was behind the protests, which started with a small sit-in gathering but turned into nationwide rallies within days. 

“The prime minister said a lobby of interest groups was doing this. So, don’t let them,” Kılıçdaroğlu told reporters in the Aegean province of İzmir. “He has no idea about the importance of the issue. People near him give him a wrong idea. Not seeing what the whole world is seeing is blindness." 

“The markets are sinking and interest rates are going, but he is still blaming others. He does not think ‘This happens as I speak,’” Kılıçdaroğlu added. 

Thousands of people gathered for Erdoğan’s address, which happened at 2:45 a.m. on June 7 after the prime minister’s arrival from a four-day trip to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. 

Kılıçdaroğlu said the 10-year rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) brought Turkey to that point. 

“We are at a point of change. People want more democracy and freedom. They want respect of their beliefs and thoughts,” Kılıçdaroğlu said. “Ten years of pressuring the administration brought this society here.”