Pro-government figures clash: Ahmet Hakan says 'They are making wild claims,' Şamil Tayyar responds sharply
Following the detention of Fenerbahçe President Sadettin Saran, former AKP deputy Şamil Tayyar claimed there was a “100 percent chance of arrest,” drawing a reaction from Hürriyet Editor-in-Chief Ahmet Hakan, who is close to the government. Tayyar responded to Hakan’s remarks by calling his record 'tarnished.'
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With the approval of AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the party is undergoing a comprehensive change in the media policy it has long implemented. In the new era, the task of defending the AKP on television screens will be taken away from journalists close to the government and given directly to AKP deputies.
Hürriyet columnists Ahmet Hakan and Hande Fırat announced this change in strategy to the public.
REACTIONS FOLLOWED THE DECISION
Following the announcement of the decision, figures close to the government, such as Zafer Şahin and Sinan Burhan, reacted to the implementation. Zafer Şahin’s statement that he would no longer appear on screen further fueled the debate.
AHMET HAKAN: “THEY ARE MAKING WILD CLAIMS.”
Defending the decision as appropriate, Ahmet Hakan directed harsh criticism at statements made by some journalists close to the AKP under the guise of “insider information.” Targeting former AKP deputy Şamil Tayyar, who had claimed without naming names that an arrest warrant would be issued for Fenerbahçe Sports Club President Sadettin Saran, Hakan stated, “They are making wild claims.”
SHARP RESPONSE FROM ŞAMİL TAYYAR
Şamil Tayyar responded to Ahmet Hakan on TGRT Haber. Tayyar said, “Ahmet Hakan has a tarnished record and is not a reputable person.” Arguing that Hakan acts inconsistently, Tayyar added, “Yesterday he was cursing the government, today he is singing its praises; it is hard to predict what he will do tomorrow. If we are talking about making wild claims, I think he is at the top of the list.”