Victor Ponta denies being Erdogan’s honorary advisor

Former Prime Minister Victor Ponta denied on Wednesday being an honorary advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The allegations surfaced after Ponta, currently a member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, told press that he was close to the Ataturk Airport at the moment of the terrorist attacks.

Victor Ponta was one of the Romanians heading to the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul on Tuesday evening in order to catch a flight. I was luckier than other Romanians”, Victor Ponta told broadcaster Digi 24 on Tuesday evening from Istanbul in the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attacks that hit the airport. “I was in the car near the entrance to the airport. They did not allow us to enter and we left,” Ponta said. The former PM was due to fly to Bucharest around midnight but was forced to stay in Istanbul.

The Romanian politician, currently a member of the Chamber of Deputies, representing Gorj county, did not provide any information regarding the purpose of his visit to Turkey. According to sources quoted by broadcaster Antena 3, Ponta’s frequent visits and the special relation he has with Turkey could be explained by the fact that he is currently serving as the honorary advisor of the Turkish president. Ponta could serve as Erdogan’s advisor on European Affairs,  including on the topic of Turkey’s EU integration, the sources allege, and benefits from protection from the Turkish security services.

Georgeta Gheorghe

Read more about

NASTY: The documentary about Ilie Năstase selected for Cannes Film Festival

read more