Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman Mahir Ünal has slammed main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for being what he called the spokesman of anti-Turkey lobbies, saying Kılıçdaroğlu's CHP has nothing to do with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. "The CHP was founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. However, Kılıçdaroğlu's CHP has lost its roots and has nothing to do with the CHP founded by Atatürk," Ünal said to the Ankara bureau chiefs of news outlets on July 9. "Atatürk's CHP was against all forms of imperialism and attached priority to the implementation of national policies. Developing a prosperous Turkey was the dream of Atatürk. However, the AK Party has made his dream come true," he asserted.

Ünal said that they have analyzed the discourse of Kılıçdaroğlu's speeches, which they claim indicates that he is systematically targeting the fundamental values of the nation amid aims to create a legitimate crisis. "Analysis of Kılıçdaroğlu's discourse in his speeches over the last seven years reveals that he systematically targets the fundamental values of the nation with empty rhetoric. In so doing, he acts not as an opposition leader, but as the spokesman of the anti-Turkey lobby," he contended.

"Kılıçdaroğlu's CHP has been so blinded by the antinomy of the AK Party and the hostility of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, they showed no limitations in cooperating with anyone who is against the AK Party and President Erdoğan, even if this cooperation harms Turkey," he asserted. Ünal also claimed that Kılıçdaroğlu previously cooperated with members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) with aims to undermine the government.

"The CHP delegation led by Kılıçdaroğlu and Enis Berberoğlu visited FETÖ's mouthpiece Zaman on May 17, 2015. Following that visit, Kılıçdaroğlu said on May 19 that they had seen records that allegedly indicate that aid trucks were carrying guns. This news became a headline in Cumhuriyet on May 22. Enis Berberoğlu was later accused of supplying confidential information regarding the country's intelligence agency to Cumhuriyet and was sentenced to 25 years in prison by the court for his role in leaking confidential documents. Now, the question is what is Kılıçdaroğlu's role in this set up?" Ünal asked.

Contending that Kılıçdaroğlu will continue to ramp up his harsh rhetoric ahead of the 2019 elections, Ünal said: "They are trying to keep the ‘no' bloc together with this method. In incidents such as the attack on a woman in Maçka Park last week who was targeted for her clothing, in the case of the bearded policeman and the attack on the Atatürk monument in Urfa province are all aimed at keeping people who lead secular lives together."

"We need to drain the hatred swamp from which the CHP is fed. Some people will continue to propagate politics of hatred as long as this hatred swamp that feeds the CHP is not drained," Ünal added.

Explaining that the AK Party is carrying out surveys to understand the "no" bloc, Ünal said: "We are doing this because we are trying to understand. We cannot build a relationship without listening to others." He said no one can tell the AK Party to listen to the prejudices of others. "For that they have to get rid of their prejudices and open themselves up to us."

Touching on the state of emergency that was declared after the failed coup attempt on July 15 last year, Ünal reiterated that Turkey is currently fighting against four terrorist organizations and these conditions make it difficult to end the state of emergency within one year.