SAKARYA, Turkey
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated that the government will fight against what he described as "parallel structures hidden in the state structures" and will start to settle the scores with the "parallel state" from March 30.
"This crowd is the response of the people to those who try to construct a parallel state within the state; who try to make operations on the will of people," said Erdogan addressing a large crowd at the local elections rally in the northern city of Sakarya.
Accusing U.S.-based preacher Fethullah Gulen for leading "the parallel state," Erdogan stated that Gulen claimed he had been in seclusion but he had actually been following millions of dollars in international contracts, intelligence service's reports and involved in appointments in state institutions.
Stating that his government has been side by side with all of the world's oppressed people, Erdogan accused the opposition parties, Republican People's Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), of cooperating with the "parallel state" led by Gulen.
"Interestingly the CHP gave a motion to parliament in 2005 for an inquiry to be initiated against Gulen and MHP was fighting the Gulen movement but today they have become good friends," he added.
Touching upon the CHP's motion to the parliament to investigate the corruption charges against the four former ministers, Erdogan said that the opposition parties have delayed for the last three months submitting these motions in search of political gains out of it just before the elections.
"The opposition parties came to parliament for quorum but during the voting they left the parliament and the proposal for a general meeting on whether to set up a parliamentary committee to investigate corruption charges was rejected but still our party asked for an investigation committee to be established," Erdogan said.
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