Erdoğan signals 'trustees will continue': Hakkari is the first step

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at the 8th Anatolia Media Awards ceremony.

Regarding the trustees appointed to the DEM Party municipality in Hakkari, Erdoğan stated, "In particular, no one should be disturbed by the decision made by the judiciary regarding Hakkari."

SIGNAL THAT 'TRUSTEES WILL CONTINUE'

Erdoğan continued, "What did we say before March 31? If your candidates have not engaged in any illegitimate or illegal activities, we have nothing to say to them, but if they have engaged in illegal activities, we will enforce the laws. Hakkari has been the first step in this. The law has done its duty, and it will continue to do so from now on."

Highlights from Erdoğan's statements are as follows:

"HAKKARİ IS THE FIRST STEP"

Anyone who adheres to the red lines of the law, the constitution, and our democracy, and does not deviate from legitimacy, can of course engage in politics freely in this country if there is no legal obstacle. No one objects to this, nor can they. We have not spoken against legitimate politics to this day. In particular, no one should be disturbed by the decision made by the judiciary regarding Hakkari. The judiciary has spoken through the law, not just the statute, and has made its decision accordingly. They immediately tried to stir up the parliament. I am sorry. This is the parliament of the Republic of Turkey, where the law prevails. There is nothing to be gained by attacking left and right with banners in your hands, kicking and punching. Because there are also parliamentarians in front of you who will defend the law. We have taken many steps to strengthen the ground for civil and democratic politics. However, we have not allowed the separatist organization's apparatuses in politics to ambush the national will.

No civilized country in the world allows democracy to be sabotaged in plain sight, and we will not allow it either. No democratic country in the world turns a blind eye to blood-stained terrorists in the mountains infiltrating municipalities by digging tunnels. What did we say before March 31? If your candidates have not engaged in any illegitimate or illegal activities, we have nothing to say to them, but if they have engaged in illegal activities, we will enforce the laws. Hakkari has been the first step in this. The law has done its duty, and it will continue to do so from now on.

"WE WILL NOT ALLOW THE RECURRENCE OF PAINFUL EVENTS"

Turkey has experienced bad days in the recent past when the resources of our cities were handed over to terrorists instead of serving the nation, placed at the disposal of the terrorist organization, and used to dig trenches and pits. We do not want to experience these anymore. Turkey has gone through periods where commissioners appointed by Qandil slapped mayors in municipal service buildings and supposedly set up courts to extort money; we do not want to experience these again. Turkey has witnessed shameful events where so-called politicians acted as errand boys and couriers for the terrorist organization. None of us want these painful events, which have left deep marks in our nation's memory, to be repeated, and we will not allow it.

We will not accept the separatist terrorist organization exerting pressure on our brothers and sisters in the region. Law and democracy require this. Respect for the nation and the national will requires this. Everyone must now accept that politics cannot be conducted without distancing oneself from terrorism, or even by leaning on the terrorist organization. Instead of repeating familiar clichés in a chorus, opposition parties should question the terror-politics relationship and focus on removing the damage caused by Qandil-directed politics to Turkish democracy. If a reaction is to be shown, it should not be against administrative measures applied within the framework of the law, but against Qandil's attempts to seize municipalities.

"MUNICIPALITIES ARE NO ONE'S BACKYARD"

Some have come out, practically creating terror in the Parliament, shouting that the municipalities are theirs. They see the municipalities, which belong to the public, as their own private property. Municipalities are neither theirs nor the terrorist organization's. I must remind those who think they can silence the representatives of the nation by shouting, yelling, and demonstrating in Parliament; municipalities are no one's backyard.

We know very well that there are mayors in the region who truly want to serve. No one has any issue with those who serve their city, district, and citizens without any discrimination. As President, I have no issue with them either. We are only fighting, and will continue to fight, on the basis of law against the scourge of terrorism that hinders the development of Turkey and our democracy. Hopefully, we will carry out this struggle without falling into anyone's trap. We expect the same attitude from everyone who respects the nation and the national will.

News Source: 12punto