ISTANBUL - Isparta parliamentarian Erkan Mumcu, who resigned from the Motherland Party (ANAP), joined Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Saturday.
AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who addressed a ceremony held for the inauguration of AK Party's new Istanbul Provincial Chairmanship building, pointed out that the participation was not an alliance or accession, noting that it was a very natural integration.
Erdogan said, ''our direction was the same, and our voyage will continue together from now on.''
Mumcu in his part said, ''I am in AK Party as I believe in democracy and as I respect will of nation.''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday, ''November 3 elections will be a date when our people will judge the crisis and those who caused the crisis.''
Isparta parliamentarian Erkan Mumcu, Malatya parliamentarian Mirac Akdogan, Mugla parliamentarian Hasan Ozyar and Federation of Turkish American Associations (FTAA) President Egemen Bagis joined AK Party.
Speaking at a ceremony held on the occasion, Erdogan said Turkey had been administered badly for long years, stressing that economic and social crisis were directly an administration crisis.
Erdogan said, ''Turkey has came to an important intersection point which is November 3 elections. November 3 will be a date when our people will judge those who caused the crises. People will call them to account for what they have done.''
Defending that those who were at the ruling passed their last days by clinging to populist election propaganda, Erdogan said 300 trillion lira was transferred to Social Security Authority (SSK) and General Directorate of Highways.
Erdogan said the government began to make cheap policy, noting that the people were not children that can easily be deceived.
Describing the participations as ''natural integration'', Erdogan said, ''this integration is a natural meeting of policy understanding.''
Erkan Mumcu, who newly joined the party, pointed out that policy was made for people, stressing that, ''I gave my decision as a result of my efforts to find a way to be beneficial to my country.''
Following the ceremony, Erdogan and Mumcu responded to questions of reporters.
When a reporter reminded Mumcu about the proposal of Republican People's Party (CHP) to make him a CHP member and asked why he decided to join AK Party, Mumcu said that several political parties made a call to him and went on saying, ''as a central rightist politician, it will not be a right and acceptable thing for me to make a leftist preference. Today, right and centre right are being rebuilt again with the will of the nation. I have to assume an attitude according to the will of the nation. My decision is similar to the will of nation.''
Upon another question, Mumcu noted that he had never fought for political career until today and he did not have any personnal fight. He said that he had always fought for principles.
When a reporter said that he had a good position in Motherland Party (ANAP) and asked if his duty was certain in AK Party, Mumcu said, ''what is important is to serve the country and produce. You cannot be a distinguished person when you have a title but, you can be a distinguished person with your contributions to the nation.''
When an Italian journalist told Erdogan that his party was known as a Islamist party and asked if he agreed with this view, Erdogan said that he did not accept this and his party was not religion-oriented.
Erdogan noted that his party aimed at happiness of people and considered religion and other things as a means for people's happiness and stated, ''we consider this Islamist expressions as a disrespect to both Islam and our party.''