Turkey's PM denies link with release of Baykal video

DUZCE, Turkey

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan refuted claims on Wednesday that he was responsible for the release of a video footage allegedly belonging to the Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) former leader Deniz Baykal, featuring his affair with a female CHP deputy in 2010.

"I am the one who ordered the removal of the video from social media platforms, how can they accuse me of releasing it?" PM Erdogan exclaimed at a rally in the northern city of Duzce.

On Tuesday a voice recording allegedly belonging to Turkish PM Erdogan was released on social media purporting Erdogan asking the person at the other end of the line to expose the footage in order to force Baykal's resignation.   

Following the release of the voice record, CHP's current leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu accused PM Erdogan of ordering the distribution of the grainy video footage purporting to show former CHP leader Baykal in a compromsing situation.

 "This is another version of the Watergate scandal experienced in U.S. and Erdogan should respond quickly," said Kilicdaroglu, accusing the PM, "He is the perpetrator (the release of Baykal video) and for this reason, the perpetrators of this have not been found yet," 

Baykal resigned after the video footage was released in 2010 but those who perpetrated the case have not been identified yet.

englishnews@aa.com.tr