Erdogan: After July 15, AK Party is responsible to all

96 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} ANKARA (AA) - The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party is responsible to all Turkish citizens following last month’s failed coup, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday.

Erdogan’s remarks came at an event commemorating the 15th anniversary of the AK Party at its headquarters in Ankara.

“After July 15, you [AK Party] are unconditionally responsible to all Turkish people no matter what party they voted for,” Erdogan said via video conference from Istanbul.

Erdogan vowed once again to eradicate the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, which has been held responsible for the July 15 coup attempt.

“It is our binding duty to bring traitors to account, and eradicate FETO,” he said.

The president went on to say that nobody, including himself, could act like they did before July 15, the day he said Turkey was faced with the “most despicable threat in its history”.

"We can no longer act like we did before July 15. None of us can, including me as the president," he said.

“In the same vein, the AK Party -- which has been governing Turkey for the past 14 years -- cannot act like it used to either,” he said, adding that he believed the opposition parties also had the same understanding.

“I hope that non-governmental organizations, media, professional organizations, and all groups representing different dispositions and schools [of thought] also feel the same way,” he added.

Turkey’s government has said the coup was organized by the followers of Fetullah Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the U.S. since 1999.

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