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* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - Archive
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An investigation has been launched against İYİ Party İstanbul Chair Buğra Kavuncu, whom İYİ Party İstanbul MP Ümit Özdağ previously accused of having links to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which is held accountable for the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016.
Buğra Kavuncu has announced the investigation on his social media account. "In our criminal complaint that we filed last week, we said that we had nothing that we could not answer for," Kavuncu has said on Twitter, adding, "I have gladly learned that the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation against me."
"This morning, my attorneys informed the prosecution that I am ready to give my statement and am waiting for an invitation. I am ready to help the esteemed Turkish justice and to give an answer to the slanders."
What happened?
It was previously reported that ahead of the 2nd Ordinary Congress of the İYİ Party on September 20, a list of members "to not be given votes" had been prepared and the name of İYİ Party İstanbul MP Ümit Özdağ was also allegedly on that list. Speaking to Ahmet Hakan on a live program on CNN Türk shortly afterwards, Ümit Özdağ accused İYİ Party İstanbul Provincial Chair Kavuncu of having affiliations with the FETÖ.
In response to this, 81 provincial chairs of the İYİ Party submitted a petition to the İYİ Party, requesting that Özdağ be expelled from the party.
On the other side, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Group Deputy Chair Bülen Turan shared a speech of his from a year ago on Twitter and said, "I don't know who is from the FETÖ and who is not in the İYİ Party, but a year ago, we said, 'İYİ Party has been established for an operation, the process of falling apart will begin after the election'."
While Ümit Özdağ denounced AKP's Turan over these remarks, İYİ Party Chair Meral Akşener also commented on the latest developments in her party on October 20. In her speech at the İYİ Party weekly group meeting, Meral Akşener said, "Not what my friends say, but what AKP Group Deputy Chair Bülent Turan said today is important. We have come where we are by waging a struggle for democracy."
Referring to the remarks of AKP's Turan as "meaningful", Akşener added, "We, of course, knew that there would be an attack on our party, because we knew that after the polling companies got results of around 13-15 percent, winter would come as it always does, we will now see what will happen." (EKN/SD)
