Gul denies "double-headed management" in controversy about Republic Day celebrations

President Abdullah Gul yesterday received the Letter of Credence presented by Bosnia-Herzegovina's new Ambassador to Turkey Damir Dzanko at Cankaya Presidential Palace. Gul, ahead of receiving Dzanko, confirmed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Tuesday remarks, and thus dismissed claims that there is a "double-headed" administration in the wake of confusion over who ordered the lifting of police barricades that were preventing people in Ankara from marching at an unsanctioned rally on Monday to mark the 89th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. A group of thousands of people gathered for the rally in front of the first parliament building in Ankara in defiance of a ban imposed by the Governor's Office on the grounds that "some groups may seek to incite anarchy in the country." The group wanted to march to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (Anitkabir) to pay their respects. Initially, the police did not allow rally participants to march in that direction, but then the police removed the barricades and allowed demonstrators to continue on to Anitkabir. Erdogan has told reporters on Tuesday that he doesn't believe that Gul ordered the removal of the barricades, saying, "There has never been a double-headed state of administration in this country." Similarly, Gul said that as a president, there is nothing more natural than to warn officials to make sure that Republic Day is being celebrated appropriately across the country. "There is not, cannot and should not be a double-headed administration in the country. Additionally, there would be no double-headed rule either. In the country's administration, double-headed rule is not right. Such a thing is out of the question. Our Constitution and our current laws have already openly outlined all of our authorities, duties and responsibilities. In this regard, I have the conviction that none of us should lead to misunderstandings," Gul added.