Babacan reacts to investigations: 'I can no longer recognize Erdoğan'; comments on İmamoğlu

Ali Babacan, one of the founders of the AKP, made statements regarding İmamoğlu and the current agenda during an Ekol TV broadcast.

Regarding the choice the CHP will make between İmamoğlu and Yavaş as its presidential candidate, Babacan said, "These are decisions they will make themselves. Whatever they decide, we are just observers there; it is their own business. Since we have now charted our own path, we were in an alliance during Kemal Bey's chairmanship period and worked together, but that partnership has ended. We have now charted our own 'New Path' and are moving forward."

He responded to the question of whether a political ban would be imposed on İmamoğlu as follows:

“I hope not. But it is impossible to know how Mr. Erdoğan will direct the judiciary. You said you know the AK Party, but I can no longer recognize the current AK Party and Mr. Erdoğan. I am one of the 70 founders of the AK Party, which we once founded together, as you know. From the very first day, I served as a Member of Parliament, Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chief Negotiator for the European Union, and I contributed a great deal. We made a great effort and worked to be truly useful to this country. However, over time, deviations from principles occurred. When there were deviations from fundamental principles and values, we said it was impossible for us to be inside or alongside the wrong, and we left.

In 2020, we embarked on a brand new path with the DEVA Party. Our party will complete exactly five years on March 9. We said we object to lawlessness, we object to injustice. We said we object to irrational economic management that lacks rationality. We said we object to the poverty in our country, and we founded the DEVA Party. We are currently walking on a completely different path. We believe that law and justice must be at the foundation of the problems that need to be solved in Turkey.

You are mentioning... Will there be a political ban, this or that... In a country where justice fully functions, in a country where the judiciary works impartially and independently, these questions should not actually exist. People should trust the judiciary. People should be able to say, 'I surrender to the judiciary of the Republic of Turkey, and I am sure that a very quick and fair decision will come out of here.' But unfortunately, such a thing is not possible right now.

Babacan answered the question of 'İmamoğlu or Yavaş' as follows:

As of today, Ekrem İmamoğlu is the Mayor of the Republican People's Party, and Mansur Yavaş is the Mayor of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality. Both are people from the Republican People's Party. Therefore, I think who they will ultimately determine as the presidential candidate among themselves is the internal affair of the Republican People's Party.

If the candidate to be determined by the Republican People's Party is only going to be the CHP's candidate, then of course it is their right; they will make a decision by running their own processes and announce it. But if it is going to be a joint candidate of an alliance, then I think it would be beneficial for them to talk about it with whoever they are considering an alliance with in the future. In other words, this attitude of 'We are continuing as the CHP, this is our candidate, come join us and be a partner' could make future possible alliances difficult. But of course, that is their own attitude.

These are decisions they will make themselves. Whatever they decide, we are just observers there; it is their own business. Since we have now charted our own path, we were in an alliance during Kemal Bey's chairmanship period and worked together, but that partnership has ended. We have now charted our own 'New Path' and are moving forward.”