HEDEP confirms meeting with AKP: 'Yes, we met'

HEDEP Group Deputy Chair Meral Danış Beştaş has responded to allegations regarding meetings with the AKP.

In a statement to Seda Taşkın of Artı Gerçek, Beştaş addressed the claim first brought to the agenda by journalist Deniz Zeyrek that "the AKP and HEDEP held a meeting."

"WE HOLD MEETINGS FROM TIME TO TIME"

Beştaş noted the following regarding the matter:

"We do not have any [political] negotiations with the AKP. We have neither an alliance nor any negotiations with any party regarding the elections. However, because the AKP is the ruling party and holds the executive power, we do hold meetings from time to time. For instance, we certainly hold meetings with the Ministry of Transport regarding central infrastructure or road issues, or with the Ministry of Health regarding health-related matters. After all, one of the missions of opposition parties is to push the government and apply pressure so that services can be delivered to the public; therefore, contact is made with the government.

"WE MET FOR AN HOUR"

The meeting mentioned in the public sphere is a meeting held with the Ministry of Justice. Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder held a meeting regarding prisons and sick prisoners in prisons. A week later, Saruhan Oluç and I met for an hour on behalf of the group.

We certainly meet with ministries at certain intervals when acute problems arise. We make the necessary initiatives so that democratic reactions can be reflected in the way we desire. This is the ordinary flow of political life and is in the nature of being a political party. Therefore, these meetings are not carried out as cooperation, but as an opposition duty to make the government perform its duties, act within democratic boundaries, and implement freedoms."

News Source: 12punto