 Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay gestures after a gaffe he made while talking to reporters. Günay began his political career with the Republican People's Party, or CHP, in the 1970s but is now the target of the main opposition party. |
A spat between the main opposition and former colleague-turned-minister Ertuğrul Günay shows no signs of abating, with the former claiming the Cabinet member is politically fickle and committed to no real platform.
The claim came after Republican People’s Party, or CHP, Secretary-General Bihlun Tamaylıgil accused ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, Culture and Tourism Minister Günay of harshly criticizing the government in a book he wrote before eventually joining its ranks.
Citing parts of the book “Counter Politics” published in 2007, a compilation of Günay’s speeches and interviews on various topics, Tamaylıgil said Monday that Günay criticized the AKP in a speech in 2003, one year after it came to power for the first time.
“He [Günay] says people shouldn’t remain silent against those who perpetuate the system of corruption by making young family members wealthy by combining public opportunities with the complete impudence of favoritism,” Tamaylıgil said, adding that the extract was from a speech Günay made in 2003 that was reprinted in the book.
“Who he is talking about? The AKP. For which party does he work today, assuming the role of minister? The AKP. I want to ask ruling party members how they feel about such a minister who talks about their party like that,” she said, implying that the speech showed that Günay was politically fickle.
The dispute between the CHP and Günay started after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described a monument in the eastern province of Kars as “freakish” before ordering its demolition.
Günay later tried to defend the prime minister’s comments at a press conference, saying he was present when the prime minister was reported to have called the monument “freakish.” He told the press conference that Erdoğan was actually referring to nearby shanty houses, rather than the monument, as reports claimed.
However, Erdoğan refuted Günay’s remarks, confirming that he used the word “freakish” to describe the monument.
Günay then came under fire even from his own party members, with Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç saying Günay had attempted to gloss over the prime minister’s comments.
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu then called on Günay to resign, but the minister dismissed the call, describing Kılıçdaroğlu’s leadership as a “camera prank.” The description apparently referred to Kılıçdaroğlu’s take over of the CHP leadership after former party leader Deniz Baykal quit politics following a highly publicized sex-tape scandal.
Günay, former CHP member
Günay began his political career with the CHP in the 1970s and was considered to be one of the more leftist politicians within the party. He later became secretary-general of the party in 1992 under the leadership of then-party leader Baykal.
Afterwards, he transferred to the Democratic Left Party, or DSP, of the late Bülent Ecevit but later left the DSP to run for the CHP leadership after Baykal resigned following the 1999 elections. Günay lost that race, as well as another in 2001 when he competed against Baykal.
Günay, known for his harsh criticism of the AKP while he was part of the CHP, attempted to establish a Muslim leftist party ahead of the 2007 elections but was unsuccessful.
The former CHP member entered the AKP when Erdoğan offered him the post of culture and tourism minister ahead of the 2007 elections.
The claim came after Republican People’s Party, or CHP, Secretary-General Bihlun Tamaylıgil accused ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, Culture and Tourism Minister Günay of harshly criticizing the government in a book he wrote before eventually joining its ranks.
Citing parts of the book “Counter Politics” published in 2007, a compilation of Günay’s speeches and interviews on various topics, Tamaylıgil said Monday that Günay criticized the AKP in a speech in 2003, one year after it came to power for the first time.
“He [Günay] says people shouldn’t remain silent against those who perpetuate the system of corruption by making young family members wealthy by combining public opportunities with the complete impudence of favoritism,” Tamaylıgil said, adding that the extract was from a speech Günay made in 2003 that was reprinted in the book.
“Who he is talking about? The AKP. For which party does he work today, assuming the role of minister? The AKP. I want to ask ruling party members how they feel about such a minister who talks about their party like that,” she said, implying that the speech showed that Günay was politically fickle.
The dispute between the CHP and Günay started after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described a monument in the eastern province of Kars as “freakish” before ordering its demolition.
Günay later tried to defend the prime minister’s comments at a press conference, saying he was present when the prime minister was reported to have called the monument “freakish.” He told the press conference that Erdoğan was actually referring to nearby shanty houses, rather than the monument, as reports claimed.
However, Erdoğan refuted Günay’s remarks, confirming that he used the word “freakish” to describe the monument.
Günay then came under fire even from his own party members, with Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç saying Günay had attempted to gloss over the prime minister’s comments.
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu then called on Günay to resign, but the minister dismissed the call, describing Kılıçdaroğlu’s leadership as a “camera prank.” The description apparently referred to Kılıçdaroğlu’s take over of the CHP leadership after former party leader Deniz Baykal quit politics following a highly publicized sex-tape scandal.
Günay, former CHP member
Günay began his political career with the CHP in the 1970s and was considered to be one of the more leftist politicians within the party. He later became secretary-general of the party in 1992 under the leadership of then-party leader Baykal.
Afterwards, he transferred to the Democratic Left Party, or DSP, of the late Bülent Ecevit but later left the DSP to run for the CHP leadership after Baykal resigned following the 1999 elections. Günay lost that race, as well as another in 2001 when he competed against Baykal.
Günay, known for his harsh criticism of the AKP while he was part of the CHP, attempted to establish a Muslim leftist party ahead of the 2007 elections but was unsuccessful.
The former CHP member entered the AKP when Erdoğan offered him the post of culture and tourism minister ahead of the 2007 elections.
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