CHP responds to Akın Gürlek regarding the fist-fight at the swearing-in ceremony! 'Without an army of bodyguards...'

The events that took place during the swearing-in ceremony of Akın Gürlek, who was appointed as Minister of Justice, at the TBMM General Assembly continue to remain on the agenda. During the CHP's occupation of the podium, a fight broke out in which AKP member Osman Gökçek punched CHP member Mahmut Tanal. Tanal sustained an injury to his nose.

Following the events, Minister Gürlek targeted the CHP, and the response from the CHP was not long in coming.

Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Chair Gökçe Gökçen responded to Gürlek's remarks at a press conference held at her party's headquarters.

"HE HAS FALLEN INTO A STATE WHERE HE CANNOT TAKE THE OATH WITHOUT AN ARMY OF BODYGUARDS"

Evaluating the events at the TBMM General Assembly swearing-in ceremony, Gökçen stated the following:

"The CHP group argued that the appointment of a chief public prosecutor who had not yet left his post as a minister was unconstitutional and requested a procedural debate. This is because Article 106 of the Constitution regulates the automatic termination of duty only for members of parliament. However, the AKP members lined up and are trying to take the moral high ground again. You will not allow a procedural debate when reminded that an appointment is unconstitutional, you will declare martial law for fear of protests, you will injure members of parliament thinking they might protest, you will fall into a state where you cannot even take the oath without an army of bodyguards, and then you will call the 'CHP anti-democratic'."

WHAT DID AKIN GÜRLEK SAY?

Gürlek had said the following regarding the fist-fight at the swearing-in ceremony in Parliament on the pro-government A Haber channel:

"It was a very different environment for me. First, I went to the office of our Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Bekir Bey. All our group deputy chairs, not just the AK Party, but the group deputy chairs of other parties were there as well. There was a very sincere, courteous atmosphere. Everyone conveyed their congratulations and well wishes. After this atmosphere, we were invited to the parliamentary podium. You know the events that happened afterwards."

When asked whether the events were planned, Gürlek had stated: "I cannot know whether this was an organized act, but I was saddened on my own behalf. My person is not important. Here, as the Minister of Justice, we are taking an oath on behalf of an institution. Our Veteran Parliament is a Parliament founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The occurrence of those events there truly saddened me. I was astonished. I wish these had not happened. We must not wear down institutions. That is the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, where the will of the nation is manifested. The person here is not Akın Gürlek. There is a swearing-in ceremony for the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior here. These did not suit us, they did not suit the national will that elected the members of parliament."