“Mr. Prime Minister, who has influence in the executive, legislative branches and media, has thought about the judiciary as well,” he said in a speech in the Western province of Muğla, stressing that Erdoğan wants to create a politicized, pro-government judiciary in order to shield himself from wrongdoings he committed.
Claiming that Erdoğan is on the path of a one-man dictatorship in Turkey, the MHP leader said absolute power corrupts politicians, leading them to call the opposition traitors and to level all kinds of insults at those who do not like them.
Noting that some prosecutors dropped a bombshell on the government on Dec. 17, Bahçeli said: “This bomb is a corruption operation. … Since then, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been in fear and panic. He replaced the justice minister with a man loyal to him.” The MHP leader claimed that Erdoğan is afraid of the investigation reaching his family and himself.
He said that is why the government has reshuffled hundreds of judges and prosecutors even before the controversial bill to change the structure and the operation of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) was adopted.
Bahçeli accused Erdoğan of creating an army of judges and prosecutors that is held hostage to his justice minister.
With regard to the prime minister's interference in the media, Bahçeli said Erdoğan has tried to take over the Turkish media to silence any critical media.
Recalling that the key suspect in the corruption probe, Iranian Reza Zarrab, who allegedly bribed four ministers, Bahçeli said it is an outrageous to see the Turkish government's ministers had fallen into a trap set up by a 29-year-old young Iranian.
