CHP Chairperson Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in Erzincan

CHP Chairperson Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Nation Alliance Presidential Candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said the following in his speech at a rally in Erzincan today:

- "There used to be a spinning and weaving factory of Sümerbank here. I know very well what that Sümerbank was for Erzincan. Thousands of people used to work there. They used to bring bread to their homes in peace. So why was this factory closed down? Have you ever asked yourself, Erzincan, have you asked your own conscience? We will rebuild all of those factories."

- "The sugar factory was privatised, and 6,000 Erzincan people worked there. 6,000 Erzincan people were bringing bread to their homes. They were earning the sweat off their brow. They were all eating halal bread. Why was the sugar factory privatised? Now 250 people work there. Why? On what grounds? Is this patriotism? Is this nationalism? Nationalism means serving your own country."

- "God willing, when I come to power with your votes, no poor family's water will be cut off, no poor family's natural gas will be cut off, no poor family's electricity will be cut off."

- "The houses of earthquake victims were destroyed; their barns and shops were destroyed. They say, 'We will rebuild, but this Mr Kemal will not build your houses when he comes.' It is irrational. I will build your houses, but not in 20-year instalments. I will do it without taking a penny, and I will deliver their houses."

- "They made the tradesmen miserable. When he wants to go and buy a new one instead of the goods he sold, he cannot afford it. They made the tradespeople miserable. I also have a promise to the tradespeople. I will completely reset the interest of the loans you received during the pandemic period, that is, the loan given to you. You will pay the principal in reasonable instalments, brother."

- "They murdered one of the most honest and decent academicians of the nationalist movement in the centre of Ankara. There was silence for days. But what did Mr Kemal say? He says he is in favour of justice; he says he is in favour of law. Now they left his case until after the election. I will find the murderers of Sinan Ateş, take them and deliver them to the judiciary."

- "They say, 'We are nationalists.' But, of course, it is a story. Theirs is seasonal nationalism. You mate... I did my military service. I didn't make my son do paid military service like their children; I sent my son to military service in the same way as the children of people with low incomes did without any money, and I want everyone to know this. You will make nationalism literature; you will send your son to military service for money, and then you will come out and make nationalism literature for me. I don't buy it, Mr Kemal doesn't buy it!"

- "All my brothers who served in the military know. Especially at the border, it is written, 'The border is honour'. Yes, the border is an honour. No one should come in from there; this place belongs to us. The area where our land is located should be something other than a passenger car park. How did 3 million 600 thousand Syrians - the official figure - and our Afghan brothers and sisters, whose number we do not know, come? Who brought them? I will send them; I will send them within two years; no one should worry."