Özgür Özel: "We Will Not Let You Distract from the Real Agenda of This Country"
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel made a statement at his party's group meeting in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).
Some key points from Özel's speech include:
"Last year, during the first group meeting, the issue of children with diabetes was at the forefront of my agenda. The social security institution does not cover this. The Minister said, 'We will solve this as soon as possible.' A year has passed, and children's fingers continue to be pricked. Mr. Minister, the children are waiting for you to keep your promise.
A year has passed, and we were set to camp in Antalya to evaluate the year. When a coup was attempted against the elected president of Esenyurt, we canceled the camp. We addressed all issues comprehensively.
Even when CHP faced an average of 17 undecided voters last year at this time, it rose to 38% on March 31. The party has experienced ups and downs. One thing we observed; there are three major attacks against CHP and Turkey.
One of the attacks is to say let’s discuss a new constitution by involving the Speaker of the Assembly. Our response was clear. With the authority we received from our competent bodies, we stated that a constitution cannot be made with things that are unconstitutional. We said do not knock on that door without full constitutional compliance; that door is closed.
We talk about raising the minimum wage, we speak for retirees, we support union struggles, and they said beware. Just as that agenda closed, while society was being crushed under the weight of high living costs, while women, children, and animals are being killed, they started talking about the Third World War, claiming that Israel would attack Turkey, initiating security discussions.
'The President of the country cannot engage in such fear politics,' we said. Nothing was discussed there. During those days, they presented a defense industry fund. We thwarted that as well.
While there were great dangers, let’s keep in mind the treacherous terrorist attack on TUSAŞ and what perception it reinforced, and what purpose it serves for the terrorist organization. Let's note who benefits from the PKK's actions.
While our party continuously discusses the public agenda, a new attack, a new move has begun to occupy our attention. Mr. Bahçeli shook hands with someone, then invited Abdullah Öcalan to the podium. Since that day, Turkey has been shaken by an agenda. I called on Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to 'Speak'. A few days later, he praised Devlet Bahçeli with flattering words.
Today, Mr. Bahçeli stated, 'Let him come to the DEM group, let him benefit from the right to hope, I stand behind my words.' He is revealing what he has in mind. He asks, 'How will those who cannot coexist overcome discrimination?' He questions, 'Is making constitutional arrangements among our upcoming tasks?' He claims that Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the guarantee and the only option for the construction of the Century of Turkey.
What they have done is to claim 'There is no Kurdish issue, there is a fur issue.' Neither Turkish nor Kurdish, neither Alevi nor Sunni. They do not have a friendship project among these groups. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has a post issue. He is even suggesting changing the constitution, if necessary bringing Abdullah Öcalan to the Assembly just so he can run for office again and get elected.
They are daring to appoint trustees to the party that came first in the local elections. They attempt to seize Istanbul through Esenyurt, and through Istanbul, they encroach upon the people's right to vote. They are resorting to the methods of FETÖ to carry this out.
In the morning, instead of being able to invite someone who goes to the municipality every morning by phone, at 5 a.m., they break down the door as part of a dawn operation, using FETÖ tactics. A spouse opens the door. Police enter the bedroom, waking up the sleeping person, Ahmet Özer, by pulling off the blanket. They break down the door of the municipality concurrently.
This time, in the morning hours, they appointed trustees in Mardin, Halfeti, and Batman. No one should expect us to adopt different attitudes towards these two incidents. The appointment of trustees is unacceptable. To incapacitate the municipal council after appointing a trustee means to say 'You are also a terrorist' to all members.
Today, as the President of the Union of Municipalities of Turkey, he has sought an appointment with me and all party leaders. He visited the council formed by the members of the parties rejected by the AK Party and MHP with a clear will. They assert that appointing trustees is antidemocratic and unjust. By not granting an appointment to any leader, you reveal your insincerity.
Before I was born, I was a deputy of this party, elected two times as a CHP deputy, two times as an SHP deputy, and two times as a DEM deputy, chosen with record votes, always speaking of peace and brotherhood, the peace dove of Mardin has been elected by the people of Mardin for the third time, and they are appointing a trustee. The trustee decisions are political traps, they have turned away from the conscience of this nation and will continue to do so.
We need to see why the government has deviated down this path. No matter what you do, we will not allow you to forget the real agenda of this country.
According to TÜİK, the annual inflation is 39.7%. The inflation they claimed would occur at the end of the year has materialized today. Mehmet Şimşek states that the inflation has decreased since this May. Since Erdoğan took office, diesel is 19 lira, gasoline is 21 lira, euro is 22 lira, and dollar is 20 lira. When Şimşek arrived, inflation was 38%, now it is 48%. Here is Mehmet Şimşek, here is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
With this inflation, the revaluation rate has reached 44%. On January 1, the government will raise every amount it collects from you by 44%. They claim that the minimum wage of 17,000 lira will be set according to target inflation, not inflation. They are trying to crush those on minimum wage.
I call out to all unions; we will engage in a significant struggle. The raise that should be given to the minimum wage is 80%. Let’s collectively defend a minimum wage of 30,000 lira. If the acceptable last price for the minimum wage is 30,000 and you say we are not there if there is no 30,000, I invite you to this struggle.
When they took Esenyurt from us, its population was 100,000, when we took it back, the population was 1 million. They have committed all kinds of urban crimes. Those who brought Esenyurt to this state want to continue squandering resources. They want to continue blackmailing the Kurds through Mr. Özer's identity.
In the final part of my speech, I would like to make a call. For the reasons I have explained from the start, hands were shaken, opportunities were available. Words were spoken, the method was wrong, but we said our hope is peace.
I appeal to everyone; there is a big game. Today the nature of that game has emerged. They have made a bargain. Right now, we are facing either blackmail or perception management. When their base throws a rope to Abdullah Öcalan, it stands up, and when the carpet is laid, they applaud.
No matter what position CHP takes, it will either strain relations with the Kurds or appear as a supporter of terrorism. It is possible to unite the Kurds and everyone who defends the indivisible integrity of this country under democratic standards. The name of this is CHP. I have two demands; first, let’s stay alert, let’s not fall into the trap.
An army of media has been assigned to create images that could be perceived as supporting terrorism, harming the conscience of our citizens. No protest should be carried out in a way that harms the police. We will not put ourselves in a position of fault while being right.
We will seek our rights, express our reactions without exceeding democratic limits. My second demand is to stand firm. Despite all their games, we, who won on March 31 and became the leading party, are the ones who will arrive in power and end the fight if we do not lose our confidence. We will uphold the process in the Assembly; we will protect social consensus. You will thwart all their schemes."