ANKARA
Leaders of Turkey's opposition parties criticized Turkish prime minister's reaction to a speech given by Turkish Bar Association (TBB) Chairman Metin Feyzioğlu on Saturday in which he talked generally about the political situation and the rule of law.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan lambasted Feyzioglu for his one-hour long speech at the Turkish Council of State (Danistay) the highest administrative court.
Feyzioglu's speech contained references to political issues, including recent wiretapping scandals, corruption allegations against the government, the March 30 local polls and the upcoming presidential election on August 10.
Turkey’s main opposition party CHP’s leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said that Feyzioglu's speech was gentle.
"Besides, Feyzioglu also criticized us, but we listened to him," added Kilicdaroglu.
Erdogan, who attended the ceremony to mark the court's founding with President Abdullah Gul and Chief of Staff Necdet Ozel, rose to his feet at the end of Feyzioglu's speech, accusing him of "lack of decorum" and "lies."
“The Head of Court has spoke for 25 minutes, you have been speaking for more than an hour,’’ Erdogan said. ‘’You are misbehaving, and your statements are false,” he added.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said battle of words between Prime minister and the head of the Union of Bars was unacceptable.
"Under normal circumstances, Prime minister needs to listen to the speaker with common sense and maturity," added Bahceli.
Meanwhile, People's Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Sebahat Tuncel said what happens there was not a conflict, rather a crisis.
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