Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli slammed the U.S. sanctions on Turkey and expressed his full support for the government in the wake of the recently strained Ankara-Washington ties.
"We are passing through a difficult time when our country is being specifically targeted. Those who want to complete the economic phase of the attempted coup of July 15 by FETÖ [the Gülenist Terror Group] again seek to mobilize to speculate on our economy and paralyze the political system," said Bahçeli in a press conference in the Turkish capital, Ankara, yesterday.
Bahçeli expressed his full support for the government policies boycotting electronic products from the U.S. Bahçeli also advised increasing the efforts to declare economic mobilization, using national currency in commerce, preventing stockpiling, raising the production of products with high-added value and re-evaluating alliances.
Commenting on the recent fluctuations of the Turkish lira, Bahçeli also stated that Turkey is not undergoing an economic crisis, and the economic situation cannot be explained by any economic parameters other than the U.S.' policies. Touching upon the long historical alliance between the U.S. and Turkey, he indicated that recent issues are not compatible with a strategic alliance between the two. Even though Turkey was careful not to overshadow the alliance when determining its policies, the same approach was not adopted by the U.S. administration.
Bahçeli also reminded that the pastor Andrew Brunson case is a matter for the judiciary, and each individual is equal under the independent Turkish judiciary regardless of an individual's status. "If the person in question is handed over to Turkey, the extradition of the pastor can be discussed," said Bahçeli referring to Fetullah Gülen, the mastermind behind the July 15 coup attempt and the leader of the FETÖ terrorist organization who resides in his compound in Pennsylvania.
