Seen at the AKP group meeting... Leyla Alaton responds to claims she is 'joining the AKP': What did she discuss with Erdoğan?

The visit of businesswoman Leyla Alaton, who was seen watching President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan from the parliamentary benches during the AKP Group Meeting held at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) on June 18, raised questions in political circles about whether she was 'joining the AKP.'

In a statement to journalist Murat Yetkin, Alaton said she attended the meeting at the invitation of AKP Group Deputy Chair Özlem Zengin.

Alaton stated, "Özlem Zengin is a very old friend of mine. She had mentioned a few times before that the public could also attend group meetings. When I went to Ankara for another meeting, the invitation came at the last minute, and I accepted." She noted that her being directed to the parliamentary benches also took place within the scope of this invitation.

30-MINUTE MEETING WITH ERDOĞAN

Reporting that she held a meeting lasting approximately half an hour with President Erdoğan following the session, Alaton emphasized that this encounter was entirely focused on the business world. Stating that they did not discuss politics or foreign policy with Erdoğan, Alaton said, "He asked me about my work. I provided information about my medical device company, Alvimedica."

EXPLAINED HER INVESTMENTS: GREENHOUSE FARMING AND EXPORTS

Stating that she also spoke about her investments in Turkey during the meeting, Alaton drew attention to Alarko Holding's agricultural investments:

"We are building Turkey's largest greenhouses powered by geothermal energy. We are working almost entirely for export. We are growing pesticide-free tomatoes and peppers. I explained these investments of ours."

Leyla Alaton also denied the claims that began circulating on social media after her attendance at the meeting that she would "join the AKP."