Ümit Özdağ reacts to Erdoğan: 'He does not want the Syrians to leave'

Following the end of the 61-year Baath regime in Syria, the question of whether Syrians who came to Turkey as refugees will return to their country remains on the agenda. President Erdoğan made evaluations regarding the issue at his party's 8th Ordinary Provincial Congress in Sakarya.

Addressing Syrians who do not want to return to their country, Erdoğan said, "There is a place for our brothers who want to stay here." In his remarks, Erdoğan stated, "Weren't these the ones who said, 'If we come to power, we will send all the muhajir (migrants) back to where they came from'? What were we saying? This nation is the ansar (hosts), and they are the muhajir. We will never drive the muhajir out of this country. We will always look after them. Thank God, did what we said happen? It did. Now what happened? We see with regret that they are returning to where they came from on their own, with sacks and suitcases."

'ERDOĞAN DOES NOT WANT SYRIANS TO LEAVE'

Zafer Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ reacted to these statements by President Erdoğan. In a post on his social media account, Özdağ used the following expressions:

"Erdoğan DOES NOT WANT the Syrians to leave. This statement is contrary to the law and regulations. The law and regulations are very clear. Once the civil war in Syria ends, RETURN IS ESSENTIAL. Until now, they were hiding behind the excuse that Assad was still there. Now there is no excuse left to hide behind. And now he is openly saying that Syrians can stay. This means you stay and we will grant you citizenship. They will now openly grant the citizenship they have been giving secretly until now. The Zafer Party will resist this demographic occupation with all its might."

News Source: 12punto