Özgür Özel recounts his meeting with Kılıçdaroğlu! 'Expelling Kemal Bey from the party...'

All eyes within the Republican People's Party (CHP) are turned toward the congress lawsuit on September 15.

It is noteworthy that former CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who lost to Özgür Özel at the 38th Ordinary Congress, has maintained his silence regarding the process.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel answered questions from Uğur Dündar on Sözcü TV. Evaluating the September 15 congress lawsuit, Özel announced that he had held a meeting with Kılıçdaroğlu 10 days ago.

Speaking on the possibility of an 'absolute nullity' ruling in the September 15 congress lawsuit and the potential appointment of former chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to the post, Özel commented, "I hope such a decision will not be made. Even if it is, I do not think Kemal Bey would stoop to such a thing."

When asked whether there had been any response to the call he made to Kılıçdaroğlu, Özel replied:

"It wasn't so much a call I made, but rather an answer I gave to a question from Ruşen Bey (Medyascope Editor-in-Chief Ruşen Çakır). It does not suit my political ethics or party discipline to publicly tell former chairmen what to declare or to make calls to them through the public eye. I expect this, but I did not go out to the public and say 'make such a statement.'

Wherever we go, party members and people have fears about 'what will happen on Monday.' Frankly, I have no fear of Monday, and I have no anxiety about the decision that will be made. I have said that this is an issue brought up to stir up the CHP, to create debate, and to prevent other agendas from being discussed. There are certain specially selected apparatuses in Istanbul. Unless you run into such a judge...

In the Istanbul provincial election, they made a very malicious decision. The whole of Turkey says the decision is wrong. All legal experts, associate professors, professors, and experienced criminal lawyers say 'this is not something that should happen.' The authority to appeal this is not the Supreme Election Council (YSK). The authority to appeal this is the appellate court. We have to appeal the decision they made so that when it is rejected, we can go to the appellate court. We are going and filing an appeal against the decision they made. The same day or the next morning, they tell us, 'We have a hearing on September 26, wait for that day, I will make the decision then.' Why are you deciding to stand behind your own decision on that day? Either overturn the decision if you are wrong. Then let's wait for that day.

Or, if your decision is correct, reject my appeal so I can go to the appellate court, and let the higher court decide whether it is right or wrong. This is happening because they are taking away our right to go to a higher court under instructions from the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office—which they cannot give—because they are planning evil, because they are managing the entire operation against the party from a single source, because they are exceeding their authority, and because they are trampling on professional ethical rules.

They don't reject it; they say wait 24 days. Whatever evil is to happen in those 24 days will happen. Of course, we made some moves they didn't expect. We went to the Supreme Election Council and carried out our congress calendars. In the end, no matter what they do, Istanbul will be handed over to an elected provincial chairman, but these are men who intend to do evil through the trustee they appointed and to expect more evil from another court. If we don't run into someone like the one in Istanbul, if we don't run into a specially appointed one, there will be no nullity decision, no trustee decision, and no injunction decision. I have no worries. If a bad one comes, I am ready from yesterday."

When asked whether he had a meeting with Kılıçdaroğlu, the CHP leader said:

"I met with Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu 10 days ago. September 4-9 is our founding week, which we added to the party charter last year. We had a very nice program. We have studies conducted in 16 main headings under 4 main pillars regarding our program on how the party will govern Turkey in the future.

I called him to invite him to this week. It was a pleasant conversation. It is not my place to tell the Chairman, 'Say this.' He didn't hint at anything to me, but from our general dialogue with Kemal Bey, I have not seen such tension, hostility, or argument.

If a trustee is appointed, we are a structure above the Istanbul Provincial Presidency and we are in office. We can dismiss them. The person who comes after a trustee is appointed to the party or after an absolute nullity ruling will come to take over our duties.

"I DO NOT THINK KEMAL BEY WOULD STOOP TO TRUSTEESHIP"

The issue of Kemal Bey being expelled from the party is a provocative question. We would want to crown him, not expel him from the party. I do not think such a decision will come out, and I do not think Kemal Bey would stoop to such a thing. The congress is in six days."