Statement by CHP Chairperson Özel: "No Such Loot; Those Who Expect Support for the Government, Don't Expect Anything"

Republican People's Party Chairperson Özgür Özel spoke about the "joint declaration" discussions after 12 soldiers were martyred in the Pençe-Kilit operation zone. Chairperson Özgür Özel said, "When the news of martyrdom came one after the other, we said the following. Let the Minister of National Defence come and inform the Parliament, then will we sign a declaration, will we take a common stance, will we correct the mistake and error, will we take the initiative together so that there will be no more martyrs? Let's talk about this together. The answer is, "You sign the declaration." No such thing, if signing a declaration did not bring martyrs, I would sign 5,000 declarations a day. We sign the declaration, they hang the flag. Erdoğan makes propaganda, everyone forgets until the next martyr. We object not to forget," he said.

"THE ISSUE IS CLOSED UNTIL THE NEXT MARTYR"

Republican People's Party Chairperson Özgür Özel answered the questions of press members in Manisa. Republican People's Party Leader Özel said the following about the stance taken by the Republican People's Party and the declaration it issued after 12 soldiers were martyred in the Pençe-Kilit operation:

"There is something that the Justice and Development Party has given this country for 20 years. When they came, there were 3 martyrs. Now there are 6 martyrs in one night and 6 more martyrs the next night. We sacrifice martyrs. We hang huge flags on houses in poverty, on houses without any paint or whitewash, on houses made of plywood, sometimes on houses with no windows. Then we issue a statement in the Parliament, then the President puts his hand on the coffin of our martyr and makes politics with a microphone in the other hand. The issue is closed until the next martyr. I am no longer there, we are no longer there. When the news of martyrs came one after another, we said the following. Let the Minister of National Defence come and inform the Parliament, then will we sign a declaration, will we take a common stance, will we correct the wrong and mistake, will we take the initiative together so that there will be no more martyrs? Let's talk about this together. The answer is, "You sign the declaration." No such thing, if signing a declaration did not bring martyrs, I would sign 5,000 declarations a day. We sign the declaration, they hang the flag. Erdoğan makes propaganda, everyone forgets until the next martyr. We object not to forget."

"HAS THE TARGET BEEN REACHED?"

"We waited at 11.00 today. Parliament opened. There was a minister in the parliament. Mehmet Şimşek. He was asked if the government would inform. He said "No". Now completely different things are being discussed in the Parliament. We would like to ask. For 20 months, Operation Pençe- Kilit has been going on. What were the targets, was the target achieved? If not, why are we there? What is the reason for not achieving their goals? We ask, how many of our soldiers are in the Pençe-Kilit operation zone? We ask, do we have martyrs other than the martyrs announced in the Pençe-Kilit operation zone? Are some of our martyrs in the hands of the terrorist organisation? Are a group of our soldiers, who we do not know whether they are alive or not, in the hands of the terrorist organisation? We expect him to answer these questions and we would like to ask him about the discussions in the military field to prevent new martyrs from coming. It is said that there are logistical disadvantages. It is said that we cannot even deliver food to the soldiers from time to time. It is said that sometimes even when we retrieve our martyrs from the region, the lives of other comrades in arms are endangered even when we want to bring back our martyrs. It is not a crime or a mistake to demand answers to these questions. It is our right, our duty. From now on, we say the following. We will not meet on the same A4 paper with a government that makes mistakes and does not answer the questions, and we will not give it legitimacy. Let them answer the questions and we will do our part. However, with a rote understanding, the main opposition party says, "Whatever we do, they will sign with us. We won't. We did not sign that text. They condemn terrorism in that text. In the text we published, we clearly condemn it."

"WHAT CHANGED AND YOU SIGNED?"

"A spokesperson from another political party said, “What was in this text that you didn't sign?” What was in this text that you signed it, how is it different from the previous one? Is there any difference between the martyrs of the previous martyrs and the martyrs of today? Instead of signing that declaration, why are you aligning behind the government instead of making a much more effective opposition together with us? Why do you give power to the government? Do they give power to this country? Do they solve these problems? From now on, those who expect rote opposition from the Republican People's Party, those who expect support for the government whenever the government wants, should not wait at all. We will continue to defend the rightful, the oppressed, the victim and the family of martyrs in this country. Those who maintain their power with rote politics should sit and think for themselves from now on. The attitude of the Republican People's Party is clear, its position is clear."

"ÖMER ÇELİK IS USED TO EASY POLITICS"

Republican People's Party leader Özel responded to Justice and Development Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik's assessment of the CHP's not signing the declaration as "shameful" as follows:

"Ömer Çelik is used to very easy politics. Today, he has lost his memory and has no idea what to say. Ömer Bey, look at the declaration we issued and signed. Look at the declaration signed by your group. If it is to stand firm against terrorism, it is in our declaration. What surprises you is that we, as the main opposition, did not easily line up behind you. What surprises you is that we reminded you of your responsibility. What surprises you is that we are asking for information from the Minister of National Defence today. If you are incapable of providing that information, I have nothing to say to Ömer Çelik. Let Ömer Çelik think for himself from now on, the Republican People's Party does not have the slightest problem, the slightest compromise or the slightest deficiency in the fight against terrorism. But it is one thing to support the armed forces in the fight against terrorism, it is another thing not to discuss the government that makes mistakes. From now on, there is no such thing."