First reaction from Yeniden Refah Party to members joining AKP

At the ceremony held for the 23rd anniversary of the AKP, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pinned badges on 2 members of parliament and 13 mayors who joined the AKP. It was noted that 7 of the 15 people who joined the AKP were from the Yeniden Refah Party.

Party Spokesperson Suat Kılıç gave a swift response regarding those who left his party for the AKP. In his statement on the matter, Kılıç said, "Forcing mayors elected from one party to resign and join your party is an unfair and unjust practice."

‘AN UNFAIR PRACTICE’

In his statement on the subject, Kılıç said, "Using the power and might of the public to pressure elected mayors of the opposition is not in accordance with the law," and added the following:

"The national will was reflected at the ballot box. From that moment on, the duty of the elected mayors was to protect the trust bestowed by the nation for 5 years. We cannot see this as a normal situation. A significant portion of these mayors joined the AKP today. Using the power and might of the public to pressure elected mayors of the opposition is not in accordance with the law.

Forcing mayors elected from one party to resign and join your party is an unfair and unjust practice. It is entirely contrary to the logic of elections and the sociology of politics.

‘CHANGING SIDES DOES NOT BENEFIT THOSE WHO LEAVE OR THOSE WHO STAY’

The YRP does not have ministries or large budgets; we cannot provide credit to our elected mayors. You cannot make mayors unable to provide services, and if mayors want to change their party for this reason, a great injustice arises from this. Changing sides does not benefit those who leave, nor does it benefit those who stay.

Elected mayors should remain in their own parties. If there are exclusionary practices that prevent them from serving, they should explain this to the public. This is the right thing to do."

FATİH ERBAKAN HAD ALSO CALLED IT 'POLITICAL BLACKMAIL'

Party leader Fatih Erbakan, who made a statement regarding the mayors who transferred from the YRP to the AKP, also emphasized 'political blackmail'.

In his statement on the matter, Erbakan said, "Obstructing the activities of our Yeniden Refah Party mayors to make them unable to serve, and trying to transfer our mayors to the AK Party through political blackmail, thereby disregarding the will our nation expressed on March 31, is not a behavior that is appropriate from either a political or moral standpoint."

HERE ARE THE NAMES WHO MOVED FROM YRP TO AKP

Adana Feke Mayor Cömert Özen (Resigned from YRP)

Elazığ Arıcak Bükardı Mayor Ali Açmaz (Independent), Açmaz had resigned from the YRP on July 23.

Erzurum Aziziye Mayor Emrullah Akpunar (Resigned from YRP)

Erzurum Köprüköy Mayor Nevzat Karasu (Resigned from YRP)

Konya Doğanhisar Mayor Ali Öztoklu (Independent) Öztoklu also resigned from the YRP.

Muş Bulanık Yoncalı Mayor Fehim Kaya (Resigned from YRP)

Muş Central Yeşilova Mayor Ömer Faruk Yenilmez (Resigned from YRP)

Ordu Çaybaşı Mayor Mesut Karayiğit (Resigned from YRP)

Samsun Ayvacık Mayor Refahattin Şencan (Resigned from YRP)

News Source: 12punto