Meral Aksener on Erdogan: The man who will frighten me has not yet been born

The building, which houses his offices Turkish Good Party (IYI) in Constantinopledone target of fire today in the early hours of the morning, as announced by the leader of the opposition IYI party, Meral Aksener. She described the incident attempt to intimidate party membersas the country gradually enters a pre-election climate ahead of the landmark presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14.

IYI is part of the bloc of six opposition parties, which support him Kemal Kilicdarogluleader of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), for presidential candidate, against Recep Tayyip Erdoganin the upcoming presidential elections.

There were no reports of injuries from the gunfire. A bullet was fired into part of the ground floor of the building and another into the third floor, as Aksener told reporters.

The Istanbul governor’s office reported that the police launched an investigation about the incident. A video shows a bullet going through a ground-floor window of the building, where a cafeteria is located, and lodged in a chair in that area.

Meral Aksener’s statements

The leader of the opposition party IYI, Meral Aksenermade statements against the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, immediately after the attack that happened in the offices of her faction. She characteristically stated that “the man who will frighten me has not yet been born.” “I’m not afraid of you, Mr. Redzep. I could call you president, but a president doesn’t talk or act like that. Our party was attacked. It is unacceptable for this to happen a month and a half before elections (…)One cannot handle these horrific actions. My dear nation, if these things happen to us today, then tomorrow they will happen to you».

“This is an attempt to scare members of a political party just a month and a half before the elections. This is unacceptable. You can’t scare us, but this is an insult to the votersAksener said.

Then she herself, referring again to Erdogan’s face, wrote on her personal Twitter account that “During reign you, all the attacks against my house and my colleagues went unpunished. Today, an armed attack was organized against our Provincial President in Istanbul, Recep Bey! If you’re going to come, come!”.

“Against all the cowards who try to intimidate uswe march to power with the power of democracy and the will of our nation!”.

The attack was condemned by the parties of Turkey

The mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglou, a member of the CHP, condemned the incident and Kilicdaroglu called on the authorities to investigate. “Mrs Aksener is a strong leader, you can’t scare her like that,” wrote Mr Kilicdaroglu on twitter. “I expect the perpetrators to be arrested immediately and brought to justice.”

The spokesman for Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Omer Celik, also condemned the incident. “It is important to comply common attitude towards all challenges, especially with the election coming up,” he tweeted. “We will stand against attacks on political parties as strongly as possible.”

Difficult elections for Erdogan

Next month’s election marks his toughest political challenge yet Erdoganwho has led the country for the past two decades, with his popularity waning amid an economic crisis and its effects catastrophic earthquake of February 6 in southeastern Turkey.

While opinion polls show Kilicdaroglu ahead of Erdogan, the electoral battle is expected to be inconclusiveas the election campaign is just beginning.