Erdogan pledges to continue Ak Party's push for change

Speaking at his Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) parliamentary group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded to opposition criticism of his recent major Cabinet reshuffle, including eight removals and nine new arrivals. Dismissing opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli's charge that appointing a figure from outside Parliament to the Cabinet violates the nation's will, referring to Erdogan's former foreign policy advisor Ahmet Davutoglu replacing Ali Babacan as foreign minister, Erdogan cited how Kemal Dervis was made economy minister in 2001 though he was not a Parliament member, under a coalition government which included the MHP. "You failed as the coalition government and appointed Dervis as (economy) minister from outside Parliament," he said. Stating that about 20 Cabinet ministers had been appointed from outside Parliament in past decades, Erdogan said that as long as the law allows it, there is nothing to discuss. Erdogan also rejected claims that he did the reshuffle due to the failure of the previous Cabinet ministers. "This is just a process of innovation and refreshment," he said. Stating that the AK Party is a reflection of the nation's desire for change, which first brought the party to power in 2002, Erdogan pledged that they would determinedly and courageously continue to work to realize a more democratic and prosperous Turkey despite all obstacles and without any backtracking.