After President Erdoğan’s visit to the CHP Headquarters, a first in 18 years, AK Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik stated that economic issues also came to the agenda. “During the meeting, our President stated that policy proposals that would harm the economic program would be rejected. In this context, our President, stated that if Ozel so desires, Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek would brief him.
According to first reports from party headquarters, the meeting, which lasted 1.5 hours, fairly long in Turkish standards for such a summit, didn’t produce any break–through on the main items such as CHP support for a new constitution and CHP demands for mid-year hikes to minimum wage and pensions. However, Celik expressed the desire to continue such high level contacts, emphasizing that peace between the administration and opposition is applauded by the electorate.
It was stated that during the meeting where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid a return visit to the Chairman of the Republican People’s Party, Özgür Özel, issues related to the economy were also on the agenda.
Çelik emphasized that the gains achieved with President Erdoğan’s medium-term program and the 12th Development Program will be preserved during the meeting, and said, “They stated that attitudes that will harm the program will be avoided. During the meeting, our President emphasizes that the gains achieved with the medium-term program and the 12th Development Program will be protected. Proposals that will harm the program will be avoided.” In this context, the President stated that our Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mr. Mehmet Şimşek, will give information if desired.”
“Increasing cooperation is important”
Çelik stated that it will be important to increase cooperation in the coming period and that responding to the rising tide of far right in Europe will be monitored closely: “The President stated that the parties should take joint action against this emerging fascism. He added that Mr. Ozel is an important envoy to express Turkey’s theses on those grounds to the social democratic parties of Europe.”
By 21:00 hours Turkey time, CHP chair Ozgur Ozel was in conference with members of the party’s Administrative Council to digest the results of the summit.
Turkish press sources
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