WordBulletin

World Bulletin / News Desk

Voice of the People Party (HAS Party) leader Numan Kurtulmuş and former Democrat Party (DP) leader Süleyman Soylu denied claims made on Thursday by the Radikal daily that Kurtulmuş and Soylu will join the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Kurtulmuş stated that he had read the claims which surfaced in some dailies earlier that morning. “This topic was discussed within the AK Party. No news has reached us regarding the issue yet.”

In response to a question asking if he would accept any such invitation from the AK Party, Kurtulmuş said he cannot talk about something that didn't take place at all.

Soylu, who spoke to the Cihan news agency on Thursday, said: “As I read in the daily, this topic came on the agenda of the AK Party Central Executive Committee meeting. This is a personal assessment of the AK Party which was made outside our knowledge, so it is not possible for me to provide any details on that topic at all.”

Soylu further stated: “I see the discussions of my personal political career during a period when incidents that are expected to change the course of history and affect millions of lives take place as an injustice to the nation. No one individual is important right now; what is important is the democratization and development of our nation and country. I think such issues should be focused on. The attention [of the public] should be drawn to those issues instead.”

Speaking during a TV program on Thursday, AK Party Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Çelik said the doors of the AK Party are open to Kurtulmuş and Soylu on condition that they adopt the basic principles of the party.