Bahceli urges govt to focus on "real issues"

Turkey should focus on its real issues, not fruitless political squabbles, opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said yesterday. Speaking at his party's parliamentary group meeting, Bahceli claimed that even as Turkey is overwhelmed by worsening problems such as rising unemployment and poverty, its real issues are not being addressed. The concerns of the government are completely different from public concerns and expectations, he said. Bahceli also charged that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is using social aid programs to win votes in local elections set for late next month, calling the programs "election bribery."