Meral Akşener responds to 'Mehmetçik Foundation' allegations that have dominated the agenda
Former IYI Party Chair Meral Akşener has categorically denied allegations that 'businesses belonging to the Mehmetçik Foundation were offered to the President through a member of parliament.' Akşener stated that despite her withdrawal from politics, baseless rumors about her have not ceased.
12punto
Founding Chair of the IYI Party Meral Akşener has clearly denied allegations frequently whispered in Ankara political circles, which claimed that a gas station and commercial properties belonging to the Mehmetçik Foundation on the Istanbul-Marmara highway were sought to be purchased by IYI Party Istanbul MP Burak Akburak, and that this request was conveyed to AKP Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with Akşener's reference.
Speaking to Oda TV, Akşener stated, “It is absolutely a lie… Look, I am not saying it is misinformation, it is absolutely a lie. My dear brother, I am fed up; I am at home, I am not involved in any area of politics. I am someone who only exchanges greetings if I happen to run into any political party chairs; I have no other meetings beyond that. I mean, I haven't done such things for years, so would I do it now? I have no connection; I don't know who did it, I mean, I heard it from you for the first time.”
Akşener also reacted sharply to allegations regarding money:
“Look, for example, something that hurts me deeply is that my son had allegedly embezzled 360 million euros from Ekrem İmamoğlu; Cemal Enginyurt said this, and it was claimed that he took this money to France. Well, why didn't these things come out during the whole process? It is a shame, it is a sin; I mean, in my 30-year political life, I have never had any involvement with money.”
Stating that it is impossible for her to have any connection to financial matters as a female politician, Akşener concluded her words by saying, “As a woman, if I had ever been involved in money matters, I wouldn't have been able to survive this long. Things that were not said about me while I was in politics are being said now that I have left politics because there is no cost to attacking me… Whoever attacks, there is no cost, but God is great. I am the only party chair who left the party I founded of my own volition. I don't know where these rumors come from. I left politics, but the rumors didn't end.”