Ahmet Türk's statement on Bahçeli: 'If the most nationalist segment is bringing this to the agenda...'

DEM Party Mardin Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Türk has shared his assessments regarding the "new solution process" discussions that began after MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli shook hands with DEM Party members during the opening of the new legislative year in Parliament.

'WE HAVE NEVER SUPPORTED THE AKP IN ANY PERIOD'

Speaking on a live broadcast on Halk TV, in response to the question, "Would you support President Erdoğan's candidacy?", Ahmet Türk said, "We are a political party. Of course, it is my party that will decide this. We have been saying this from the beginning. We are a party that decides everything based on seriousness and developments. Is the seriousness evident? Will a process that meets expectations begin? Or will it not? Of course, we are watching this. I mean, if we had wanted to, we would have supported them in the past, but we have never supported them in any period. When our vote share in Istanbul was around 10 percent, it dropped to 2.9 percent in the mayoral election. Well, where did it go? Frankly, there was clear support for Mr. İmamoğlu there. Yes, we fielded a candidate, but everyone knew that we were supporting İmamoğlu. Otherwise, our vote would not have remained at 2.9 percent."

'WE WILL WEIGH EVERYTHING AND MAKE OUR DECISION'

Stating, "We need to see how serious and sincere the process being carried out jointly by Bahçeli and Erdoğan is," Türk continued: "If we see that sincerity, of course, the Kurds will evaluate this among themselves. If they respond correctly to the demands, if they move toward an arrangement that truly guarantees the things we have been saying in the constitution, we will support the constitution as well. But today, the country has expectations. We have expectations. We want this issue to be resolved. If the issue is to be solved, politics doesn't mean much to us. What is important is the development of a period where our people will be equal citizens in terms of rights, law, and freedom. That is what we are focused on—the success of such a period. Otherwise, questions like 'will we support them or not' based on individuals have no meaning to us. And there is no need for it. There is no point in asking us this either. We will weigh everything and make our decision accordingly."

'IF THE MOST NATIONALIST FRONT IS BRINGING THIS TO THE AGENDA, WE MUST THINK ABOUT IT'

Speaking about the process that began with Bahçeli shaking the hands of DEM Party deputies, Türk said, "Of course, today, if a nationalist party, the most contrary party, a party that has always judged the Kurds; even a person who said 'shut down the party, kick them out of parliament' is saying this today, of course, we must think about this very carefully. The reasons for this need to emerge. Now, of course, Erdoğan really failed in the past when he carried out things on his own. He was not successful. But if he is bringing this issue to the agenda today with the most nationalist segment and front he is in alliance with, we must watch this correctly," he said.

News Source: 12punto