According to reports yesterday, Prime Minister Erdoğan’s lawyer, Fatih Şahin, petitioned the Ankara prosecutor’s office alluding to a speech Berk gave in 2008 during a visit to the village of Başbağlar in Erzincan’s Kemaliye district. Erdoğan accuses Berk of using insulting him during his speech and claims that Berk told his audience, “Do you know the prime minister has sold the country?”
Reports also said that the complaint was filed with the Ankara Prosecutor’s Office before this year’s YAŞ meeting. Although the date when the complaint was filed wasn’t clear, reports confirmed that it was forwarded to the Kemaliye Prosecutor’s Office, which it reached on Aug. 4. Kemaliye prosecutor Ramazan Temel told reporters yesterday that the investigation has not yet been completed. He said: “We heard the testimonies of the Başbağlar village residents. Gen. Berk says he also has two witnesses we need to hear. I think I will be able to complete the indictment within 15 days or a month after also hearing these two witnesses.”
Berk testifies for the first time
Gen. Berk has also testified to the Erzincan Prosecutor’s Office. The allegations against Berk had been put forth by village resident Necati Aydoğdu, to whom Berk allegedly said, “Do you know that the prime minister has sold the country?” after finding out that Aydoğdu had voted for Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
A silent goodbye
Meanwhile, Gen. Berk, who was appointed to EDOK at this year’s summer YAŞ meeting, said goodbye to Erzincan silently on Aug. 13 in a low-profile change of guard ceremony held in the province. Not a single civilian was invited to the ceremony. Berk was replaced by Gen. Yalçın Ataman, who was elevated to the rank of general during the YAŞ meeting. Gen. Işık Koşaner, who was appointed chief of General Staff, also attended the ceremony.
