CHP Leader Özel responds to Elitaş's 'courage' remarks: 'It is not a task with a maturity date'

When asked about the HÜDA PAR workshop, Özel stated that he did not find it appropriate to discuss an issue based on this work, saying, "You know what the CHP has said in the past regarding the Kurdish issue, what it has said regarding this process, and its insistence on a parliament-focused process definition."

When asked about AKP Deputy Chairman Mustafa Elitaş's statement regarding the election date, Özel commented, "He says that if I have the courage, we will compete with them in the November 2027 elections as the Republican People's Party. Courage is not a task with a 2.5-year maturity date, Mr. Elitaş. Courage is something for today. You are expressing that you can only gather your courage in 2.5 years. We say to you, 'we are ready today.' I leave this to the appreciation of AK Party voters. We are in a position where those who say 'we will be brave in 2.5 years' are facing those who have the courage to compete from today."

Regarding the investigation launched into TÜSİAD High Advisory Council (YİK) President Mehmet Ömer Arif Aras, Özel stated the following:

"The investigation launched into TÜSİAD is an investigation that confirms how justified the statements made on the first day were. The climate they are trying to create is one where they have brought and imposed on Turkey a regime where no one speaks, everyone is silent, and those who do not remain silent are silenced and thrown in jail. The regime has reached this point."

Özel said, "Regarding the Syria issue, Erdoğan's polls rose by a few points in December after months, but the new polls we see today show that he has lost them back exactly and has reached a point worse than before. This means that people do not forget the pain, suffering, absence, poverty, and the hunger they feel today due to certain issues. It is seen that citizens maintain their determination to change this government."