Everything else was asked, but not this: Bahçeli's Öcalan call was not put to Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan answered questions from journalists on the plane while returning to Turkey following the BRICS summit held in Kazan, Tataristan.

However, during the interview, no questions were directed to President Erdoğan regarding MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli's call to Abdullah Öcalan during his group meeting last Tuesday, or the meeting between DEM Party MP Ömer Öcalan and Abdullah Öcalan on İmralı Island.

Erdoğan also did not offer any spontaneous assessment of these issues.

Media Ombudsman and 12punto columnist Faruk Bildirici expressed his reaction on his social media account, criticizing the way journalists handled the situation. Stating that it was shameful for journalists not to ask President Erdoğan about Bahçeli's call, Bildirici wrote the following:

“It is truly a shameful situation for those who call themselves journalists to not ask, or be unable to ask, Erdoğan about Bahçeli's call on that plane... It is disrespectful to both our profession and to the readers and viewers. I wonder how they will be able to hold their heads up in front of people? What a pity…”

Gerçekten kendine gazeteci deyip o uçakta Erdoğan’a, Bahçeli’nin çağrısını sormamak, soramamak utanç verici bir durum… Hem mesleğimize, hem de okur ve izleyicilere saygısızlık. Başlarını insanların karşısında nasıl dik tutabilecekler acaba? Yazık… https://t.co/tx4djRrTT1

— Faruk Bildirici (@farukbildirici) October 25, 2024

ANOTHER REACTION FROM MÜYESSER YILDIZ

Another reaction to the fact that Bahçeli's Öcalan statements were not asked to Erdoğan came from journalist and 12punto columnist Müyesser Yıldız. In her statement on social media, Yıldız included the following expressions:

The country has been in shock for four days over the call Bahçeli made for the terrorist leader. Everyone was waiting with curiosity to see what Erdoğan would say about this statement.

But while returning from the BRICS Summit in Tataristan, the journalists accompanying him asked everything else but did not ask about this one topic!..

Either they didn't hear Bahçeli's words or didn't care, or they weren't allowed to ask...

In any case, it is a grave situation!..

The country has been in shock for four days over the call Bahçeli made for the terrorist leader. Everyone was waiting with curiosity to see what Erdoğan would say about this statement.

Ama Tataristan'daki BRICS Zirvesi'nden dönerken yanındaki gazeteciler her şeyi sormuş da bir tek bu konuyu sormamış!..https://t.co/do2pODKwUq

— Müyesser Yıldız (@MuyesserYildiz) October 25, 2024

WHAT DID BAHÇELİ SAY?

Making statements at his party's group meeting last week, Bahçeli stated that Öcalan should speak at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) and said the following:

"If the isolation of the terrorist leader is lifted, let him come and speak at the DEM Party group meeting in the TBMM. Let him declare that terrorism has completely ended and the organization has been disbanded. If he shows this resolve and determination, the path for legal regulations regarding the use of the right to hope and for him to benefit from it should be opened wide. Let the address extend from İmralı to DEM, not Kandil or Edirne, and let this heavy and historical terror problem be completely removed from the country's agenda. I challenge you, we are ready for this"

SUPPORT CAME FROM DEM PARTY

The response to Bahçeli's call from the DEM Party was not delayed. DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları responded to Bahçeli's call, saying, "The interlocutor of the Kurdish issue in Turkey is Abdullah Öcalan. If there is to be a beginning, the isolation must be lifted immediately. We are ready to take initiative for an honorable peace. We have been struggling for years to lift the isolation on Öcalan. It must definitely be lifted. We say let him come physically and speak. Let us all see together what he says. Steps must be taken on this matter urgently without wasting time. I underline once again that we, as the DEM Party, are ready to do whatever is necessary on this matter."

News Source: 12punto