Notable detail regarding Ahmet Hakan on Erdoğan's plane: He had interviewed CBRT Governor Erkan

President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan answered questions from journalists on his return from Hungary. It was noted that Hürriyet newspaper Editor-in-Chief Ahmet Hakan was positioned next to Erdoğan. Hakan had recently spoken with CBRT Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan, and Erkan's remarks that "Istanbul is expensive" and that she asks "Sadık Abi" about prices had received significant attention in the world press.

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Notable detail regarding Ahmet Hakan on Erdoğan's plane: He had interviewed CBRT Governor Erkan

President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan answered questions from journalists on his return from Hungary.

In his statements, Erdoğan indicated that work for the local elections is ongoing and that some candidates will be announced gradually by the end of this month.

It has become a tradition for Erdoğan to hold interviews with journalists on the return flight.

HIS INTERVIEW WITH CBRT GOVERNOR ERKAN HAD BECOME A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION

Hürriyet Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Ahmet Hakan had conducted an interview with CBRT Governor Hafize Gaye Erkan, and Erkan's remarks became a topic of discussion both in Turkey and in the world press. In that interview, Erkan said, “Could Istanbul be more expensive than Manhattan? We couldn't find a house in Istanbul. It's incredibly expensive. We settled in with my parents, we are staying with them." Erkan also claimed that inflation was starting to decline, but mentioned that she frequently speaks with the apartment superintendent, 'Sadık Abi', and that Sadık Abi told her, “Prices haven't come down, if you want, go take a look at the price of this onion.”

While rental prices and inflation returned to the agenda following the interview, Hakan described Erkan's statements in his new column as, "She attaches great importance to transparency. She speaks sincerely and openly. She believes that providing confidence is the most important issue."

THE AHMET HAKAN DETAIL

Before his visit to Hungary, Erdoğan had visited Greece on December 7, Qatar on December 4, the UAE on November 30, Algeria on November 21, Germany on November 17, Saudi Arabia on November 11, and Uzbekistan on November 8.

However, Hakan was not present at some of these meetings, and in others, he did not sit next to Erdoğan.

Hakan sitting next to Erdoğan on the return from Hungary raised questions about whether it was related to the interview he conducted with Erkan.

"HE IS DOING WHAT IS NECESSARY"

Last year, Erdoğan said to Hürriyet columnist Abdulkadir Selvi, "Abdülkadir Bey, you will do what is necessary in your column. Ahmet Bey (Hakan) is doing what is necessary."

Here are Erdoğan's recent visits and the journalists on the plane: