MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli issued a written statement for Ahilik Week, describing the ahi tradition as a socio-economic model that shaped Anatolia from the 13th century onward, and calling it "the strongest and most functional guide" against ethical problems.
Bahçeli claimed that akhism was institutionalised under the leadership of Ahi Evran and was a historical response to Byzantine guilds. He also stressed a 'professional hierarchy shaped by morals and merit'.