Erdoğan denied the news about the rift with Gül

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan denied the news about the rift with Turkish President Abdullah Gül spread by Turkish press, Armenpress reports referring to Turkish “Zaman” newspaper. Erdoğan stated this when returning from Germany, when participating in the opening ceremony of the new building of the Turkish Embassy in Berlin. He also had a meeting with Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel. “There is no difference between President’s and my viewpoint. We have always been of a same position and there is no disagreement between us” noted he.

Yesterday Turkish media informed that the declaration of Turkish government concerning the official events to be held only in special areas in Ankara caused a new split between Turkish President Abdullah Gül and the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Recent tension between Turkey’s top two officials has increased on October 31, when President Abdullah Gül challenged Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, maintaining that he had not violated his authority.

The tension diminished from Gül’s instruction to Ankara’s governor to tolerate people who were willing to celebrate Republic Day despite the governmental prohibition. Gül-Erdoğan split is not a new phenomenon. It has been a long time that Gül is criticizing the position of the government on the issue related to human rights and democracy. Gül is also dissatisfied with the presidential term of office, which used to be 7 years before 2007 and now it has become 5.