AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik responds: What will happen to municipalities where trustees were appointed after dissolution

Çelik evaluated the topics on the agenda on Habertürk TV.

Here are the highlights from Çelik's statements:

Removing terrorism from Turkey's agenda was also discussed during the time of the late Özal. This struggle, with its international and domestic political dimensions, is something that is sometimes debated in terms of being a justification for intervention in democracy and being the ground for international events. During the period we came to power, in addition to the fight against terrorism, there were issues related to methods of renouncing terrorism and persuasion. Our elders who were involved in politics before we started have a finding. Some of them were also in the MGK (National Security Council). At that time, politics could not use persuasive elements. The activation of the state's soft power elements has always been on the agenda. Sometimes, the two main fault lines of this issue were that when foreign policy was suitable, domestic policy was not. There were guardianship struggles and situations where politics had to move on a fragile ground. You can see the passing of the ball between the steps taken by those who want to destroy democracy and the steps of the terrorist organization. There are both correct findings and conspiracy theories on this subject.

"POLITICS WAS NOT CONSOLIDATED"

The fact that democratic politics was not consolidated and did not dominate the system. It is brought to the agenda with various dimensions regarding the late Özal and the late General Eşref Bitlis. We experienced this during our President's prime ministry as well. At that time, civil politics was not consolidated as it is now. It was a gray period where certain guardianship centers dominated politics and politics tried to overcome them. Civil society brought this to the agenda. Our perspective was in this direction. It was the realization of the state's soft power elements, the legal mechanism, and democratic regulations. It is one of the points where our President reacted most harshly in his political life. It was if an approach within the military bureaucracy said 'we are against this process'. Our President had said during that process that 'no one is a state within a state'. Despite our political power being threatened in its entirety, our President carried this out.

"TODAY POLITICS IS CONSOLIDATED"

There are many examples of those who embarked on this business being threatened by structures focused within the state and remaining in the dark zone in terms of their results. During the period we call the solution process, national unity and brotherhood, there were those who attempted to appear before our President and his government with such implications. There is a known method for the solution of this issue. The use of the state's hard power elements. During his Prime Ministry, our President had an approach against this guardianship approach, saying 'the government makes the decision here, you are not a state within a state'. Determination had been shown regarding the use of additional power elements. Today, civil politics is consolidated. There is no guardianship focus that will cast a shadow on the legitimacy of democratic politics. Democratic politics in Turkey did not consolidate in one day. It did not reach consolidation in terms of eliminating dark areas in one day. It was a process.

"AN ISSUE OPEN TO SABOTAGE"

Guardianship centers used to use something like this: 'This issue is above politics' or 'This issue is an issue outside of politics'. They would tell the government about issues that remained outside of this. I had heard two issues a lot that tried to poison democracy; one is the Kurdish issue and the other is the Cyprus issue. In addition to this, the Turkmen policy in Iraq. It is the elimination of political superstition coded as above politics and outside of politics. Some issues may be high politics and some may be daily politics, but everything is within politics. There is something that refutes the claim that the AK Party was distant from this issue. The issue of using soft elements is already a part of the AK Party. We have experience with its timing, language, and rhythm. We see which international centers can intervene in this issue, when and how. We see how the structure in front of us can pull this to other places. This issue is an issue that we always approach with sensitivity, and as the President and Mr. Bahçeli also express, it is open to political sabotage. One must act sensitively. There is more than one sabotage area here. One of them is related to language.

"WE KNOW THAT CERTAIN FORCES HAVE STEPPED IN"

Many legal or illegal structures. Some states want to sabotage these processes directly or through proxy forces. We caught one person. When DAESH emerged. This person had been in the PKK terrorist organization for 3-5 years and then moved to DAESH. At the same time, he is managed by the intelligence agency of a European state. This is a rhythm and performance that will be created not only in terms of strengthening Turkey's internal front but also in terms of being an inspiration in the region. We know that certain forces that do not want this have stepped in. The Middle East has its own unique dynamics. We know that those who have not been able to face Turkey directly in recent years use such elements.

"A FRIEND OF OURS WAS TAKEN OFF THE BUS BECAUSE HE WAS KURDISH"

I first realized this issue not in this way, of course, but as a humanitarian issue as follows. We are 5 friends in middle school. We got on the municipal bus. They stopped the bus. At that time, everyone was carrying an identity card. They checked the IDs of four of us, there was nothing. They took our fifth friend off the bus. We also got off with him. There is only one reason. 4 of us are Turkish, that friend is Kurdish. It said place of birth Diyarbakır. Four of us are Turkish, one friend is Kurdish and we are close friends. We don't know what Kurdish is, what Turkish is. I said to that friend, 'why are they doing this'. He said, 'they do this when they see Diyarbakır on my identity card'. Because four of us are Turkish, we are not touched, but one friend is taken off the bus because he is Kurdish. This is one of the issues for those who want to infect political life in Turkey. I remember very well when it came to Parliament. Even the use of extremely ordinary sentences today had a cold shower effect. One of the historical turning points here, one of the words spoken to the body of the guardianship system, is the speech our President made in Diyarbakır on August 12, 2005. He was Prime Minister at the time. The period when all the nerve endings of the system turned to the Prime Minister. Our President was saying, 'We are against ethnic, religious, regional nationalism'. He was saying that the solution is to raise the standards of democracy.

HOW WILL "STRENGTHENING THE INTERNAL FRONT" BE ACHIEVED?

It first came to the agenda with our President's speech in Ahlat. The framework was actually drawn there. The process the world is going through is the process where the seams of the international system are unraveling. It no longer points to a stable structure. We heard things we would never hear in 4-5 months. Democratic countries directly want the lands of other countries, open negotiations are being made, etc. No one could have predicted this 10 years ago. The highest objection to this, expressing the use of this power, comes from the realists of the USA. From Taiwan to the issue of immigrants on the Mexico-US border, to the Netanyahu government's genocide. Finally, India-Pakistan was added. When you look at the whole picture, what emerges is that it has overcome turbulence, we are in complete chaos. What is done when entering turbulence? It is said on the plane, 'fasten your seatbelts'. In such situations, the immune system of the internal front needs to be strengthened. Strengthening the internal front is to keep our own immunity high against the confusion around us, in the expression used by Atatürk.

"A TERROR-FREE TURKEY IS A STATE POLICY"

Mr. Bahçeli shook the hands of all political parties. After that came Mr. Bahçeli's historic call. A call that creates a ground for this to be discussed comfortably. Strengthening the internal front in the sense of true nationalism. Since it is discussed frequently there, there is a common stance of the People's Alliance. Regarding this, Mr. Bahçeli paved the way for the process, kept the process in balance, and ensured that this issue was kept alive with correct interventions when it started to go into crisis on various issues. With the expressions our President put forward in his group speech, a terror-free Turkey has become a state policy. Since it is said as the head of this state, it means an order to all state institutions. The call in Ahlat, Mr. Bahçeli's historic call, our President's will, his acceptance of the DEM Party delegation, are the meetings held by the MIT in the background of the whole process. The preparations of the TSK (Turkish Armed Forces), Police, and Gendarmerie within the framework of our President's instructions.

"WHOEVER DRAWS A WEAPON ON TURKEY WILL BE OPERATED ON"

If a weapon is drawn on Turkey, an operation will be carried out. No weapon is drawn against those who tend to lay down arms against Turkey. If a weapon is drawn on Turkey, on our nation, an operation will be carried out, no matter who it is. In past periods, in times before us, there were asymmetric approaches to those who laid down their arms and left, and there were various conflicts. Today the state is consolidated. It is easy to judge towards the past on such issues. For example, you look at the football player while watching the match, you say 'if you had thrown the ball from here'. The conditions of the person there and the conditions watched from the armchair are very different. Against the expression 'let them go with their weapons', our President said 'no, they will bury their weapons'. This is a very important sentence.

"NOT LAYING DOWN ARMS BUT SURRENDERING ARMS"

The issue of laying down arms can be understood as passing into a passive state, looking at a pause. There have been other practices of this in the world. This means the surrender of these weapons. The issue here is that the organization must dissolve itself and surrender its weapons. Our President said that these structures, which operate against Turkey, including Europe, as our President said, with all their branches and extensions, inside and outside, should end and that there should be an attitude in favor of Turkey. Terror financing occupies an important place on the agenda. The decision taken at the ECHR regarding Batasuna is a comprehensive decision. The goal of the process is all branches and extensions of the PKK; that is, Europe, Iraq, Syria, PEJAK in Iran. Now the situation in Iraq is different, the situation in Syria is different. There are issues you will talk about in Baghdad, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah. In Syria, each of them must surrender their weapons to the administration. He lays down his weapon and becomes part of the Syrian army there, I mean the SDF structure. Then he establishes a political party within Syria and continues his activity. In a way that no hostility is made to Turkey. One must observe the model difference there.

"IT WILL BE SEEN ON THE FIELD THAT WEAPONS ARE LAID DOWN"

Someone will do it. Some usual suspects will do it. We express that we have coded and addressed this. Our President said, 'We are cautious but optimistic about this issue'. We see all dimensions and connections of the process. We do not give up on our determination. We must manage the process and also ensure that there are no sabotages. Our mind is clear. It is not the expression of the issue of laying down arms as a word, but it must be seen on the field. The TSK and MIT will establish the relevant mechanisms and work in the most effective way. A verification mechanism will be established. This must happen within a process that does not exceed months. Otherwise, it becomes open to sabotage. For us, things aimed at keeping promises are evaluated as creating gray areas. This needs to happen concretely and completely.

"THERE HAS BEEN NO ETHNIC FIGHT BETWEEN TURK AND KURD"

Something like this comes out. The government, state officials, our President make a statement. Some opposition elements who approach this statement with suspicion can base it on what an academic in America did and say 'there is this behind it'. The Republic of Turkey dominates its agenda. Our experience in these matters dates back to the Ottoman period. The agenda arising from this issue in Turkey has not corresponded to a separation among citizens. There has been no ethnic fight between Turk and Kurd. Look at the nationalism in the Balkans, there were conflicts that emerged there. The genocide experienced by our Bosnian brothers is already very clear. No cracking has been seen in sociological integration in Turkey.

"WE SEE LAUSANNE AS AN ACHIEVEMENT AND A TITLE DEED"

So, autonomy, federation, etc. issues are brought to the agenda. We have stated many times, this issue is approached with the principle of one nation, one homeland, one state, one flag. We have made all the statements to set the coordinates of the issue. It is said 'there are such and such elements in the PKK's declaration'. Here, one should look at what the legitimate state and our President say. We are talking about the terrorist organization dissolving itself and handing over its weapons. Look at our President's statements every year on the anniversary of Lausanne. We are putting forward the AK Party's view on these issues. Our President's statements on every anniversary of Lausanne stand. We see Lausanne as Turkey's achievement and title deed.

"ONE MUST AVOID STATEMENTS WITH BAD MEANINGS"

Genocide is a word we will never accept. Those who applied to themselves by calling themselves diaspora said that the Turkish expression in the Constitution's expression is exclusionary. We have stated many times that there is no debate about the qualities of the state and the nation. What were parliaments established for? They were established so that we can solve problems by talking, not by fighting with weapons. Our President and Mr. Bahçeli expressed it. Even though the view on Lausanne was expressed in terms of both our political alliance and our state policy, he takes the terrorist organization's declaration and changes the place of speaking in Parliament. In this process, one must avoid all bilateral misunderstandings and statements with bad meanings. The place I focus on is the issue of laying down arms and dissolution. Turkey is subjected to terrorist attacks with the heavy support of many states. The imperialist plans that came before Turkey have been shattered by soldiers, police, gendarmerie, and security guards. We will not take any step that will hurt our martyr families here. Our soldiers, police, gendarmerie, security guards, and veterans who sacrificed their lives have fought. Thanks to their struggle, our state is at this point. Everyone needs to be sensitive, it needs to be used extremely carefully.

"IT IS AN APPLICATION WITHOUT FOUNDATION"

I have written 17 topics that I noted today. We will not do this here, we will not apply the induction method by answering the topics one by one. We will do deduction. Even while our state was fighting with soldiers, police, gendarmerie, and security guards, reforms and legal regulations were made. The state opened a television channel, some basic works were published. We always think through the state. As what kind of society do we want to enter the Century of Turkey, having left which debates behind? As what kind of society that has prioritized which debates should we enter? You open BBC or CNN International, tennis tournament, culture and arts days, then the news is dead in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan. This is not a destiny. Go to Baykar. When you tour there, there are children from every province of Turkey working on technology for the future. They have their identities, but they do not poison their future with identity politics. Whatever the ethnic origin and sect of someone who enters here, they do not fight over these. The application of the diaspora group that opposes Lausanne is an application without foundation. It is denying that they are equal citizens in Turkey. With what kind of social model will we enter the Century of Turkey here?

"THE DILIGENCE CARRIED OUT BY THE DEM PARTY IS IMPORTANT"

One must observe this here, we must leave some issues behind. Our positive focus here is the consciousness that our Republic is the roof of all of us, and that democratic politics is the only legitimate address for all solutions. It is said, you had harsh polemics with that party in the past. It was said that you are going with a soft language today. Our measure is clear; we do not produce political interlocutors in case of support for the terrorist organization, not keeping distance from terrorist organizations. When there is an approach that contributes to democracy and its common future, we open all political channels. If there is a terrorist approach in the form of eliminating the constitutional order, eliminating national sovereignty, our stance is clear. We are on the side of the Constitution, the Republic. An Armenian-origin deputy came out in the past period and defended the genocide. We, the MHP, and the CHP opposed him. For that reason, when it is said let arms be laid down, let terror be removed from Turkey's agenda, it is sat down and talked about. The diligence carried out by the DEM Party is important. I see that they are trying to do their best. They clearly told us their views and we clearly told them ours. The late Sırrı Süreyya would send a message when the work in Parliament was finished, 'let's gather the team'. We would sit in a friend's room and talk.

"MR. ÖZEL'S RESPONSE TO THIS THANKS WAS NOT STYLISH"

Mr. Özgür's approaches to the roof of the event are positive. The sentence that we will support if terror is to be removed from Turkey's agenda is of course a sentence that should be appreciated. This is a matter of high politics. I find this expression of Mr. Özgür valuable. The more contribution is made to this process, the more valuable it is. Our President also thanked Mr. Özgür in his group speech. Mr. Özel's response to this thanks was not stylish. One must grow common sensitivities here. If we focus on marginal statements one by one, we will not exhibit behavior suitable for so many years of experience, the greatness of our state, and the wisdom and foresight of our nation. We must manage this issue with conscience, discernment, reason, and wisdom. All of these must be together. How do we emphasize our destiny? How do we reinforce our empathy? We talk about the issues of the Druze and Yazidis in our meeting with our friends. Will we not talk about our own issue? The Republic of Turkey state dominates its agenda. Our President and Mr. Bahçeli know what they are doing.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MUNICIPALITIES WHERE TRUSTEES WERE APPOINTED?

One must separate three things from each other. I cannot make an appreciation and comment about the judicial process. If there is cooperation or affiliation when the terrorist organization is a terrorist organization, this will of course be evaluated. Whatever the date, if it has not expired, it is cooperation with terror. Of course, this is a matter for the judiciary to know. If relationships were developed when this structure was a terrorist organization, it is a subject for the judiciary to evaluate. Regarding the time when the terrorist organization is effectively eliminated, our President says 'trustee will be the exception'. If the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch Operations had not been carried out, a terror statelet would have been established within our 30-kilometer depth. This depth was eliminated. After the existence of this terrorist organization is eliminated, many things will fall into place. One must not lose focus here. The focus is the issue of dissolution and laying down arms. Mr. Özgür Özel says something in addition to this approach that we appreciate. He says 'the President will use this for his own political interests'. What political interest? In the past, as a result of that process, 'We will not make you President' had emerged. One must not drown this in such polemics. The support of the CHP and DEM Party is of course valuable.

"POLITICAL TALENTS WILL COMPETE"

When the issue of laying down arms is finished, the Parliament will be involved. As a result, as I said here, no step will be taken that will harm the qualities of the state. Discussions are being held regarding the execution law. It is being handled in judicial reforms. These are being explained. With the removal of the terror stress on Turkey, many issues will be discussed. There is no question of the basic qualities of the state and federation. Beyond everyone protecting their own ideological camp, after that, they will have to change their political style regarding how much contribution all ethnic groups, Turk, Kurd, Arab, make to unity. Identity politics is consolidated over how much it separates its own piece from the other. Ideological politics will have to grow its political scale. We will have entered the period where politics is produced and discussed most intensely in the legitimate field, in the Parliament. Then the competition will be this; political talents will compete, not political polarization. After that, we will see that many things we consider problems today are not problems.

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT CHANGING PARTIES

CHP Deputy Chairman Mr. Yankı Bağcıoğlu and CHP deputy Namık Tan have 100 percent opposite views on the blue homeland. If one is the CHP, the other is not the CHP. One can say 'this was not the official view of the CHP'. I definitely read our party program once a year. In our political system, for most of the parties, there is no party policy, there is government or opposition policy. This also has deep reasons. There is the crippling of politicization due to coups. Our President said let them come and discuss local governments. Whenever we opened a system debate, the CHP turned it into a regime debate. Now they have invented something called the Presidential regime. If they give up their habit of turning every issue into a regime crisis. Our President opened a reform debate regarding local governments. Friends saw that their pre-election and post-election policies changed in the party they went to and said 'We want to walk the path in the AK Party'.

SIGNAL OF REGULATION FOR MUNICIPALITIES

There is nothing absolute in politics, the mind is relative. Updates are needed, life does not stop. Everyone is uncomfortable with the sloppiness in zoning regulations. There is also the issue of financial audit. He elected a mayor, he did not provide services on the issues he campaigned on. Let's handle metropolitan municipalities and district municipalities, authorized but irresponsible provincial special administrations systematically. Not because 'it works for us, it doesn't work for you'.

ÖZEL'S EARLY ELECTION STATEMENT

The problem in the CHP is that they think their own views are the state view. When they talk about the election, they expect it to be accepted immediately by the state and political parties. There is a childish situation here. They had shadow ministries at one time. The citizen has made a choice, has put forward a will for the problems to be solved. A short time has passed and it is said 'let's go to the election'. This is not a child's toy. They are used to taking the issues they cannot solve to the congress. Above you is the Ukraine-Russia war, below is the Gaza genocide, there is activity in Iran. We see that ethnic debates have come to the agenda again among other countries in the Balkans, in Serbia. In all of this, at the point where I say let's keep the ranks straight and tight, when there is no legal and social necessity, it is Özgür Özel's own agenda to cover up the discussions within his party, to eliminate the discussions regarding his own presidency. This is his own agenda.

"THERE IS A LONG TIME UNTIL THE ELECTION"

In the general election, we received the right to govern Turkey. There was a poll yesterday, it is in the direction that the AK Party is the first party by a wide margin after the recent debates. We are the government, criticism comes to us, complaint comes to us. We are second in the polls, then we are first again. We could not form a government in 2015 either, we were the first party. In the June 7 elections. In any case, as a result, we have maintained our political performance in a way that will take the authority to govern Turkey in every field from the citizen from these processes. What is decisive in politics is the result. There is a long time until the election. With the strong implementation of the economic program, the achievement of goals, and the making of reforms, it is clearly seen that we are not experiencing any problems.

INVESTIGATIONS AGAINST İMAMOĞLU

A judicial process is underway here. Regarding this process, the CHP wants to involve us in issues we are not in. We tell Mr. Özel to write the items one by one, are you a guarantor? I see that we have the moral superiority. It is not good for Turkey that the CHP falls into such a marginal situation. It gives more of a guardianship image than a healthy management in the CHP.

ATTACK ON ÖZGÜR ÖZEL

We have stated this clearly on this subject. It is unacceptable in any way. It is a cursed attack. We are against it in all its aspects. The police are looking at it, also from an intelligence perspective, who he met with, what he did, etc., both MIT and the Police are conducting the investigation. We see that punch as a punch thrown at the political institution. There is no annotation or preface to this. It is an event that we sincerely say get well soon and that must definitely be illuminated. We wouldn't look for it, there is heavy competition, but that punch was thrown at democracy, we categorically reject and curse it.

You are making an element that has drawn a weapon on the state lay down its arms and you are conveying the demand for it to dissolve itself. There is no debate about the basic qualities of the state anyway. A strong state does not lean into this business with its hard elements, but with its law and democracy. We say the survival of the state. This also passes through high-standard democracy.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE NEGOTIATIONS IN ISTANBUL

It is now seen that no one can reject peace? No one can oppose the word peace. All tactics of diplomacy are being activated. All parties open their hands from the most maximalist place in the first stage. What is seen is this; until now, no one other than our President has talked to the two sides. No one has said let's open a diplomatic space. Our President is the only leader in the world who talks to European leaders, Trump, Putin, and Zelensky. If you enter a process, you are not caught up in daily currents, you act within the framework of principles. The politics our President does is quantum politics. He deals with the world's problems, talks to provincial heads, then comes out and continues to deal with the world's most burning event. This is a quantum politics. It happens in front of everyone's eyes. Strengthening the internal front in Turkey, and the whole world seeing Istanbul as the center of peace in terms of foreign policy. The clearest indicator of the principle of peace at home, peace in the world. In these negotiations, the hand is opened from the top. It is also good that the leaders do not come together in the first stage. Today's meeting was a meeting away from the stress reflected outside. In the end, it was talked about, it was a preparation for the next one. Turkey listens to both sides. As a result, everyone is aware that they are obliged to find a way, no matter what the stress is. There is also the attitude of the USA. It says 'if you don't approach peace, I won't give weapons'. After all the sub-studies are finished, it turns out that our President's moderation is indispensable.

ERDOĞAN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH PUTIN AND TRUMP

When our President first met with President Putin, he was banned. Because he was banned, in many meetings, 'we will support the process after you are elected' meetings were being held. The first one to call was Berlusconi. He had had harsh expressions about Islam and Turkey. When we entered the meeting with Putin, he had a deck of cards in his hand. The problems between Russia and Turkey were written. He started to explain them. 'You need to talk about these when you take over the duty'. It had caught my attention a lot. Putin coming to the meeting with a deck of cards about the problems between Russia and Turkey. Many leaders were expressing their support because they had democratic legitimacy. Our President also talked by going over those items one by one. Later, Putin said 'Erdoğan kept all his promises, that's why I trust him very much'. There is an institutional and a leaders' diplomacy. Its contribution is great. It is important that leaders put forward a facilitating will. In addition to institutional diplomacy, the will diplomacy of leaders is very effective.

HAS TRUMP'S GAZA PLAN CHANGED?

There are some signs. We have experienced so much that we need to see it concretely. When Trump met with Netanyahu at the White House, he had made sentences implying that he should be careful against Turkey. There are some signs, but one should not make an early comment on where this will evolve.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE US-IRAN TENSION?

In the meeting between Turkey and Brazil, it was the first signature Iran threw after the revolution. What is important here is to stay at the table. Turkey is already a country that does not want war. Eventually, our President's leadership capacity will be needed there too.

WHAT AWAITS GAZA?

This policy of Netanyahu has passed the point that America will own. When you remain silent here, when you turn a blind eye, you will have no words to say in other parts of the world. The point where even food aid is used as a war element. This is a direct crime of genocide.

WHEN IS THE TRUMP-ERDOĞAN MEETING?

Trump said he wanted to come, and our President said he would visit him. This is a process related to the calendar. The last meeting was a very full meeting. Mr. Trump cares about meeting with our President frequently and underlines it. These meetings also have a protocol. That protocol has been lifted.