CHP leader Özgür Özel: 'We will not sit at the constitutional table with those who do not abide by the current constitution'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel made evaluations regarding the agenda at his party's parliamentary group meeting. Speaking about the operation targeting CHP municipalities, Özel said, "They are questioning and arresting our Beykoz Mayor over a 'Welcome Baby Package'. Our municipalities are being shaken both financially and morally," he said.

Starting his speech by criticizing the law on stray animals, Özel said, "With the animal law, killings are inevitable. The animal law says 'take it-carry it away-do whatever you want'," he said.

Özel continued his words as follows:

"The law was passed, sterilization dropped to 30 percent. Let's call everyone and evaluate this law in Parliament. My call to Erdoğan is, do not wait for the Constitutional Court to annul it. Come, let's call animal lovers, the Animal Rights Association, and most importantly, veterinarians, experts in this field, local administrators who have succeeded in successful sterilization and adoption projects in Turkey, regardless of which party they belong to. Let's fix this law in this Parliament."

'WE SAID IN BRUSSELS: 'INCLUDE TURKEY''

Having recently given a speech at the European Parliament, Özel said, "In Brussels, we said, 'Do not push Turkey toward Trump and Putin, include it.' The AKP did not comply with the Copenhagen criteria. We support full membership in the EU," and added:

"As you know, we went to Brussels after the group meeting last week. We went to Brussels with a strong delegation and held visits where we strengthened our relations on the path to our goal of full membership in the European Union, and saw how much the Republican People's Party is valued by Europe and how much the line put forward by the Republican People's Party is appreciated.

We were invited to the European Parliament by the Group of Socialists and Democrats. The speech we gave at the European Parliament was followed with great attention. We discussed all issues in detail, from the situation Turkey is in, the situation the world is in, from Syria to Gaza, from the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, to our Cyprus, and answered questions. It was stated that the suggestions we made were very appropriate and that this roadmap is the correct one."

Of course, no one can expect Turkey to be a full member at a point where it does not fulfill the Copenhagen criteria. The greater mistake is not Turkey's, but this government's that has been managing Turkey for 22 years. But the European Union also made mistakes. We reminded them of those too and said: "Do not push Turkey away. Do not push Turkey toward Trump. Do not push Turkey toward Putin. Do not push Turkey out of the contemporary world. Include Turkey." We said: "Listen to Turkey. You did not invite the Foreign Minister to London, it was wrong." You invited him to Paris, I correct myself. "You did not invite him to Paris, it was wrong. He was invited to London," I said correctly. You will meet with Erdoğan. We are diametrically opposed to him in Turkey. We are fighting a great struggle, but it is correct for him to be invited and met with," I said, and I added only one condition. That is this: Do not solve the refugee issue with Turkey in a Merkel-Erdoğan type, that is, a pragmatic way, like a give-and-take bargain, like bargaining for sheep, in an unprincipled way that will harm your values and Turkey's future. Invite Turkey to be a country that can be negotiated on the basis of democracy. Invite it to democracy. Invite us to democracy," we said, and we expressed that this is the right path with mutual agreements."

'TUĞRUL TÜRKEŞ WAS ALSO COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS'

In the continuation of his speech, Özel recalled the statements of AKP's Tuğrul Türkeş. He said:

"It is said: 'Europe also needs Turkey, but if only it provided democratic standards.' When we went to Strasbourg, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was asking us at every stage how we would walk with a country that does not comply with ECHR decisions. Mr. Tuğrul Türkeş was also complaining about this. He was saying: 'Everywhere I go, the Gezi trial, Kavala, other human rights violations, and non-compliant decisions come up against me.' He is making sincere efforts on this matter.

I see his efforts, I appreciate them, but the Justice and Development Party does not even listen to its own group there. In the European Parliament, the abandoned Copenhagen criteria come up against us at every step. Tayyip Bey used to say: 'If necessary, we will take the Copenhagen criteria, make them the Ankara criteria, and complete our own process ourselves.' Did you do any of them? Look, free movement was going to come in 2015, 66 out of 72 laws had been passed.

Three of the remaining six are police and Interpol matters that will be resolved. One was the Personal Data Protection Law, which later reached a point. It has shortcomings, but it reached a point. It is implemented poorly, but it reached a point. There were two articles, two articles. One, the definition of terrorism, that is, the terror law and definition of terrorism that makes not the one who takes up a gun, trains them, or finances them, but the academic who tweets a terrorist, the opposition mayor a terrorist, the opposition MP a 'terrorist' in prison even if elected, the journalist a terrorist, the student a terrorist."

HE ADDRESSED THE YOUTH

On the other side, the Political Ethics Law. I am reminding all the youth of Turkey. To all the youth experiencing visa problems, to all business people experiencing visa problems, to patients experiencing visa problems, to academics, to everyone. If Tayyip Bey, because of the president who said to the prime minister of that day, whom he later dismissed, 'If you pass this, the political ethics law, we cannot find a district head, a provincial head as the AK Party,' according to GRECO criteria, that is, clean politics, the financing of politics, because of someone who refuses to conduct politics on an ethical and transparent ground, today the people of Turkey cannot move freely in Europe, and this perspective put forward by the Republican People's Party, that is, 'When we come to power, we will implement the Copenhagen criteria at the speed of light,' was signed by 89 social democratic and socialist parties from 77 countries, many of which are in power in their own countries.

We support the CHP's goal of full membership in the European Union. The upcoming election is in a sense a referendum. Either we will walk toward the contemporary civilizations shown by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, catch up with them and surpass them, become enriched and democratized, or we will go in the direction the last president is taking us and we will all be miserable together. The nation is waiting for that ballot box. It is waiting for that ballot box."

''YOUR RIGHTS CANNOT BE REPAID' THEY SAID, AND THEY TRULY DID NOT REPAY THEM'

Continuing his speech by greeting March 14 Medicine Day, CHP leader Özgür Özel listed the conditions of healthcare workers one by one. Özel said:

"Unfortunately, Turkey has been turned into such a country that March 14 Medicine Day is coming, and neither healthcare workers are satisfied with the system nor are the citizens. Today in Turkey, healthcare workers do not receive the respect they deserve, both materially and morally. In the last 5 years, I didn't believe it when I saw the figure, I had it checked again and again, more than 70,000 healthcare workers have been victims of violence.

That is, they have been subjected to verbal or physical violence and it has been recorded. Healthcare workers worked selflessly during the pandemic and the earthquake. Everyone was praising them during both the pandemic and the earthquake. They said, 'Your rights cannot be repaid,' and they truly did not repay their rights. More than 15,000 physicians have gone abroad in the last 5 years. When this figure was only 2,000, Mr. Erdoğan had said, 'If they go, let them go. If necessary, we will continue our way with assistants.' That very mentality, that is, the mentality that says 'If the specialist goes, let them go, I will continue with assistants if necessary,' is the reason we have lost 15,000 brilliant, talented, well-educated young people, most of whom have completed their 6-year medical education, whom their families have worked for since kindergarten, the state has worked for, their families have spent money on, the state has met their needs, and who have finished their primary, middle, high school, university, and specialization, to European countries, mostly Germany."

This is the approach: 'If they go, let them go, we will continue with assistants.' Go ahead and continue with assistants then. The number of physicians in our country is insufficient. The number of doctors per 1000 people is 3.7 in OECD countries, and 2.3 in Turkey. Especially the number of nurses per 1000 people is 9.8 in OECD countries, and only 3.6 in Turkey. Uncertain performance targets, precarious work, and excessive workload increase the pressure of malpractice. In family health centers, group personnel are unfortunately precarious, and many of them have to work for less than the minimum wage. There is no merit in appointments and promotions, there is partisanship. Which union you are a member of is important. Mobbing applied by meritless, partisan-managed health institutions is driving healthcare workers to despair. On March 14, family physicians will once again hold a work stoppage. This is a scream. This scream needs to be heard. If problems have not been solved despite so many actions, so much pressure, and so much debate, one needs to sit down and evaluate. Ensuring that healthcare workers work in sufficient numbers, with sufficient salaries, and in humane conditions, and stopping the physician migration is a very important issue for Turkey's future and it needs to be resolved immediately.

The failure to implement the appointment and referral chain, the problem of making appointments over the phone, appointments that go days or months into the future, dates given a year later for examinations, exorbitant drug co-payments, unpaid drugs, examination fees, money deducted from salaries, and unpaid drugs not only drive patients to despair but also occasionally bring them face to face with health workers. We hope that in the days when all these structural problems are solved, March 14s can be celebrated as Medicine Day. From here, from the Republican People's Party Group, we greet all healthcare workers with our feelings of solidarity and respect."

'THE MHP SUPPORTER ON THE STREET CANNOT GO TO THE MARKET OR BAZAAR'

The blessed month of Ramadan, the nation is struggling with poverty. Our monthly inflation is still higher than the annual inflation of dozens of OECD countries and all European Union countries. Moreover, research shows that almost no one believes in this official inflation of TUIK anymore. TUIK announced inflation figures. As you know, in December it showed 1 percent inflation, but when it showed 5 percent inflation as 1 percent, they stole 4 percent from salaries, they had it stolen. Then the January and February inflation combined are 7 percent. 7 percent is not low inflation. A product that was 100 liras 2 months ago becomes 107 liras, 110 liras. 'Do you believe this figure?' is asked. Look at the answer. This is the picture of Turkey. Let those who don't believe have it checked, if something different comes out, let them show it on live broadcast, let's all see, but whoever looks at this sees this. Question: 'TUIK announced the monthly inflation for this month as 2.27 percent.' Look, 'February inflation, of the short February, 2.27 monthly. Is this figure correct?' it says. 55 percent say it is much higher than the announced figure, 30 percent say it is higher than the announced figure, 85 percent of Turkey says 'Inflation is higher than announced.' 11 percent say 'It is the same as announced,' and 4 percent said 'It is lower than announced,' Turkey. Look, in the CHP, those who don't believe are 93 percent. In the DEM Party, 100 percent don't believe. 88 percent of the IYI Party don't believe the figures. Well, what about the MHP? Look, when it's another issue, 'If I go this way today, they follow me, if I go this way today, they follow me. If I say this yesterday, they applaud and stand up, if I say the opposite today, they applaud and stand up,' that MHP group. The MHP supporter on the street cannot follow like that. Why? The man cannot go to the grocery store. He cannot go to the butcher. The MHP supporter cannot go to the bazaar. Look, 73 percent of my MHP elders and brothers on the street do not believe these inflation figures.

'GO AHEAD AND HAVE A SURVEY DONE'

The AK Party, if Tayyip Erdoğan said 2 times 2 equals 5, those in the AK Party would say 'The Reis corrected the mistake in the multiplication table.' The AK Party supporter on the street does not say that because they cannot swallow it, they cannot feed themselves, they cannot fill their shopping bags. 68 percent of AK Party supporters also do not believe the announced inflation figures. Tayyip Bey, have the study done, you know you are reflecting it, let's see what happened and what didn't, you are showing it with false videos, with this and that, with fake montages, have the study done and let's see. Let's see if there is any AK Party supporter on the street who believes the inflation figures.

There are mostly retirees in the city restaurant queues. Today they announced the retiree bonus as good news. If it were truly good news, Tayyip Bey went out yesterday and gave a national address. There are so many retirees. Wouldn't he say if it were good news: I am increasing the retiree bonus from 3 thousand liras to 22 thousand liras as the CHP promised, I am making it the minimum wage. When they made it 4 thousand liras, they had Abdullah Güler announce it. He was ashamed while announcing the figure, he swallowed it. He couldn't say 4. Tayyip Erdoğan is not announcing it, and the holiday bonus that bought 24 kilos of ground beef that day only buys 5 kilos of ground beef today. 5 kilos of ground beef.

REACTION TO THE CITY RESTAURANT INVESTIGATION

The cost of a four-course meal at home for iftar is 320 liras per person. A four-course meal at the municipalities' city restaurants is 40 liras, 50 liras, or at most 70 liras in the most expensive one. We currently have 110 restaurants across the country from the city restaurants that Ekrem President started and branded in Istanbul. The most striking example of this is the investigation opened against Vedat Milor, who shared the meal he ate at the city restaurants on social media.

Because Vedat Milor said, 'Everyone is talking, it's very cheap, everyone is going, let me go and eat.' And when he ate, he said, 'This flavor at this price is truly unbelievable.' They opened an investigation against Vedat Milor. The Minister of Trade also says: 'What did we do? Did we open it to the city restaurant? We went and asked Vedat Milor. Are you doing secret advertising here?' Oh man of God, I don't want to say anything bad, does the city restaurant need advertising? In a place where 1 lentil soup is 150-200 liras, lentil soup plus three more courses are sold for 50 liras, and there is a 500-meter queue in front of it. They call the city restaurant 'secret advertising.' May God give them wisdom.

Of course, there are mostly retirees in the city restaurant queues because millions of retirees are in financial difficulty. Today they announced the retiree bonus as good news. Although if it were good news, if it were truly good news, Tayyip Bey went out yesterday and gave a national address. Don't talk to the nation. There are so many retirees. Wouldn't he say if it were good news: 'I am increasing the retiree bonus from 3,000 liras to 22,000 liras as the CHP promised, I am making it the minimum wage.' When they made it 4,000 liras, they had Abdullah Gül and others announce it. So you will understand how valuable the announced figure is from how valuable a brother of mine announced it.

REACTION TO THE HOLIDAY BONUS

Look, he accidentally swallowed that figure while announcing it, toward the inside, he cannot say it outside. Although it is not a feature we really encounter, he was ashamed while saying it, he swallowed the figure. He says the thing that is 3,000 liras, he will say 4,000 liras, he couldn't say four. Look, the year 2018. Let's remember this: In 2015, the Republican People's Party said in its election campaign: 'One salary bonus for every retiree.' Tayyip Bey said: 'They cannot give it.' He even had it said. He was supposedly an impartial president at the time. 'They cannot give it, it won't happen,' he said. They lost the election on June 7.

While going to November 1, they said, 'We will give it too.' This bonus is that bonus. Then they sat on that bonus for 3 years. While going to the 2018 election, they gave a 1,000 lira bonus on the last holiday before the election. We objected. 'It was going to be a minimum wage,' we said. They gave 1,000 liras. It was 62 percent of the minimum wage that day, 62 percent, and it was buying 24 kilos of ground beef. I will not let this go without doing this calculation.

The money they made 4,000 liras this year, which they had Abdullah Gül and others announce, is 18 percent of the minimum wage. Look, while the 1,000 liras they gave reluctantly, despite our objections, was 62 percent of the minimum wage, today's 4,000 liras is 18 percent. That is why Abdullah Gül and others are announcing this, Tayyip Erdoğan is not announcing it, and the holiday bonus that bought 24 kilos of ground beef that day only buys 5 kilos of ground beef today. 5 kilos of ground beef.

I am showing all retirees: This was what Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Retired Kemal, won for you in that period. And this is what Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who does not understand the situation, stole from you. It has dropped from 24 kilos to 5 kilos. By the way, Tayyip Bey, despite the foreign currency ruining the exporter...

Foreign currency is being suppressed. As the foreign currency is suppressed, national income increases relatively because it is calculated in dollars. That is, the money does not have purchasing power on the street, but national income seems to be increasing as foreign currency.

He boasts about that. I had it checked in terms of retirees. In the last 15 years, that is, 15 years ago, the ratio of the retiree pension, the average retiree pension, to national income was 58 percent. Currently, the ratio of the average retiree pension to the national income, which they say 'has increased,' is 33 percent. It has come from 58 percent to 33 percent in terms of retirees, but national income is increasing because the money barons, the money barons, multiply that money as they earn it here on one side, they multiply it as they earn it. While everyone was crawling during the pandemic, they bought villas and planes with the money given from the credit guarantee fund. They are still paying 8 percent interest on that money.

They made the interest on the 9 percent loan that the barber and restaurant owner, whose shop was closed that day, took from the tradesmen's credit cooperative, 29 percent now, from the Tradesmen's Credit Cooperative. On one side, those who took a contract from KGF at 8 percent continue to pay at 8 percent. They say to the barber who stayed hungry and sat at home, 'You took it at 9, but interest rates increased, you will pay it back at 29.' Another issue of ours is that our municipalities continue to be shaken materially, morally, and legally under Tayyip Bey's instruction, in front of the nation's eyes. Things that normally don't happen are happening. Everyone knows that all of this is happening because of Tayyip Bey's envy, because of his jealousy, because he knows that he cannot win an election again from now on. 'CHP municipalities are successful, shake them, take their money, take them, slander them, throw them inside, as long as you take these municipalities away from me,' he says. Our Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer was arrested on October 30.

OPERATION ON CHP MUNICIPALITIES

We waited for an indictment for 4 months for our Esenyurt mayor. Now they have given a court date for May 23. From a case where he will not receive a sentence... He made a phone call to someone 15 years ago. He didn't call a terrorist, he called his brother. They are questioning and arresting our Beykoz mayor over a 'Welcome Baby Package'.

We waited for an indictment until February 20, until February 20. The prosecutor, famous for writing an indictment for 400 people, sorry, 300 people in 4 days, barely finished one person's indictment in 4 months. The indictment came out on February 20. Now they have given a court date for May 23. Fear God. Fear God. The anniversary is almost coming. If he is not released on May 23, it is possible, with this indictment, with these allegations, with this evidence, it is impossible for him to stay inside.

Summer will come, judicial recess will come, the next hearing will be 1 year later, from a case where he will not receive a sentence. Look, let's remember what Ahmet Özer is accused of. He made a phone call to someone in Van 15 years ago. That person was an executive in the PKK. The phone call was a condolence call, the day his mother died. There are 6 siblings. Look, he didn't even call the terrorist. He called the terrorist's brother, he said to him: 'Your mother raised very precious children.' We are facing a team that has lost its mind to the point of establishing a terrorist organization connection over this.

They continue to keep Ahmet Özer inside like this, to keep Rıza Akpolat, our Alaattin Köseler mayor inside with such absurd allegations. Our Beykoz Mayor is accounting for the cheese, yogurt, butter, salt, and french fries bought to help the poor. They are questioning and arresting him because of a 'Welcome Baby' package.

The prosecutor who said to Ahmet Özer 4 months ago 'Why did you hold a concert?' is asking Alaattin Köseler today 'Why did you cancel the concert?' They found a money movement of 67,000 liras. They said this: 'You received 67,000 liras from the municipality's private office.' Alaattin Köseler said: 'God forbid, I didn't receive it.' 'You received it.' 'I didn't receive it,' he said. They looked, it wasn't money going out, it was money coming in.

Why is that? Because Alaattin Bey had promised on the bus, promised in the coffeehouses, he does not take his own meal money, transportation money from the municipality. He calculated the money for the meal he ate at the municipality, the plane ticket bought while going to Ankara quickly, 67,000 liras. He sent it back to the private office account. Of course, there is no such thing in their book. 'Aha!' they said, 'He embezzled 67,000 liras.' He is returning 67,000 liras to the municipality. They are keeping this man, who confuses incoming money with outgoing money, inside for corruption. Shame on all of them!

AKP PERIOD OF BURSA METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY

Now last week I told about the scandal committed by the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality. Another ignorant person has come out. Regarding the normal representation and hospitality expenses of Bursa Metropolitan, 'Well, this is here too,' he says. Ignorant. We are not saying Recep Tayyip Erdoğan or a minister going to a normal municipality or something. What is said is this: Election period, expenses made by the mayor candidate and from the private office, with his own approval, AK Party special meeting expenses, packages going to the AK Party Provincial Presidency, cocktail expenses at the AK Party provincial building, AK Party preliminary election expenses, promotions requested by AK Party Ankara, election work meal, HÜDA PAR congress fee, Bursa Metropolitan paid for HÜDA PAR's congress, Ülkü Ocakları meal fee, Great Unity Party meal fee, Democratic Left Party launch expenses, DSP meal expenses, TÜGVA meal fee, Nationalist Movement Party Kemalpaşa organization's expenses, all of them were spent from Bursa Metropolitan's private office in 154 items. I am saying this, another ignorant person comes out: 'Sir, private office, representation, hospitality happens.' It doesn't happen. HÜDA PAR's congress is not paid from Bursa Metropolitan, my brother, you cannot do it. Democratic Left Party, look, we counted last week. Let him send me the invoice for one of these events. Great Unity Party, HÜDA PAR, DSP, TÜGVA, MHP Kemalpaşa.

REACTION TO THE ALAWITE MASSACRE IN SYRIA

All of our eyes and ears are also on Syria. We are following the recent events with sadness and concern. When the atmosphere of the false spring created in Syria dissipated, we witnessed that attacks where civilian casualties occurred started again. Alawites in Latakia and its surroundings, Arab Alawites were targeted. They were subjected to a massacre. In fact, that these days would come was evident from the concerns and complaints of their relatives in Hatay for months, and from their opinion leaders coming to this parliament and trying to make their voices heard. They have relatives. Turkey, which sends soldiers to conflict areas thousands, tens of thousands of kilometers away from its own border in accordance with the United Nations duty, unfortunately did not hear the voice of its citizens who were crying over a massacre that was 65 kilometers down from its border and coming step by step. We heard, we said, we made it heard, we told. We made phone calls, we assigned shadow ministers.

However, they said, 'Don't worry. The Syrian administration is under control. He put on a tie and came to his senses. He established full dominance. It will get better, it will get better.' Essentially, they did not do the right thing that needed to be done. What was that right thing? Establishing a transitional government where Syria is truly represented, where not only Sunnis but also Alawites, not only Arabs but also Turkmens, Kurds, and Druzes are represented.

Having ministers here where all parties are represented. We are in a process where the Syrian army is now being filled with foreign people coming from outside, people who say on TikTok while coming, 'I am going to Jihad, I am going to slaughter Alawites.'

The lives of these people could not be entrusted to an army where jihadists coming from all over the world serve. Because they did not do what needed to be done, a great massacre took place there. First, they didn't tell the numbers, they showed them small.

Then they said 'Old videos' to the videos, but in the end, it came out. Now they say, 'We warned El Shaara, he will be careful. He opened an investigation.' Well, you were the architect of the victory in Syria. Syria had become very good. Assad had left, the oppression had ended. To turn and load what Assad did directly onto a group, the Arab Alawites, and onto the Nusayris, to target them, to demonize them, is the work of which mind, which conscience? Let those jihadists there do these things.

HARSH REACTION TO YENI SAFAK NEWSPAPER: 'VILE MAN!'

Despite all our warnings, those jihadists have weapons in their hands and have become security forces. Well, a man comes out in the Yeni Şafak newspaper, which praises every work you do, officially the Pravda newspaper of your government, and writes a column and says: 'Nusayris are being slaughtered because they are still vile enough to kill civilians in Syria as a result of the doggery they did to imperialism.' If there were a Twitter account saying this, change the roles, if there were a Twitter account saying this and saying it for El Shaara's militants, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor would take action today, find the account, raid the house in the morning, and bring them in.

Is there any other definition of inciting the public to hatred and hostility, creating hatred and enmity by exploiting religious feelings? Is there any other definition? The relatives of those Arab Alawites you call Nusayri live 50 kilometers away in Hatay, shedding tears. Vile man! Vile man!

Now, it is understood that the PKK will cease to be a terrorist organization, that is, the PKK, which was a terrorist organization in the past, will cease to be a terrorist organization in the future, they are inventing a terrorist organization for the future. They are making a definition of terrorism over a congress that those people attended. They are clinging to and attacking municipal council members over that place. Then they have come out, sir, a magic wand has touched, all problems will be solved.

The way to end the terror problem in Turkey and to bury the Kurdish problem in history is democracy for both Kurds and Turks. The way to do this is to bury the trustees in history. The way to do this is to open the way for everyone's freedom of expression. To open the way for everyone's freedom of belief. It is for the state to return to a line that is impartial and prohibits prohibitions.

Those who came years ago saying 'We will fight against prohibitions' and brought Turkey to a country where prohibitions are the highest, the most numerous, and the most complained about, let alone in Europe, in the world, have nothing to offer Turkey. That's why I left Tayyip Erdoğan. I never polemicize with a chairman on his sickbed, but this parliament has a speaker.

I had made a call to Mr. Kurtulmuş. I said, 'Take initiative. Come, let's start a great democracy march that will solve all of Turkey's problems, open its way, and also ensure Turkey's enrichment, with a call you will make to the political party groups of this parliament.' Despite everything, I expect Mr. Kurtulmuş to take initiative quickly, but I would also like to express that I am pleased with his expressions that he will intervene when the time comes, that the parliament will take initiative, and that he will take steps on this matter."