He did not attend the CHP rally: Statement from Mansur Yavaş

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Mansur Yavaş answered journalists' questions at the opening of Genç Akademi Ulus. Yavaş also spoke about his absence from the rally held in Esenyurt against the appointment of a trustee following the arrest of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer.

Evaluating the arrest of Ahmet Özer, Yavaş said, "If an arrest is made by going back 5-10 years and looking at phone records, I say as a legal professional that probably no one in government circles would remain free."

Yavaş stated the following regarding the matter:

"If an arrest is made by going back 5-10 years and looking at phone records, I say as a legal professional that probably no one in government circles would remain free. Because in the complaints we have filed, most were not even investigated. There is no double standard in law, and trial without detention and the presumption of innocence are essential. No one has the freedom to commit a crime, and we are not defending such a thing, but if there is a crime, there is no possibility of tampering with evidence. If they have a fixed residence, it is more appropriate to at least allow them the opportunity to defend themselves by being tried without detention. We have said what we had to say on this matter.

Different meanings were drawn from my not going there, but most of our mayors could not go either. Everyone has their own schedules. Our Çankaya Mayor went as a representative. Here, our provincial head has already made the necessary statement as the provincial organization. I think that drawing different meanings is just people's own interpretations."

HE EVALUATED MHP LEADER BAHÇELİ'S ÖCALAN REMARK

"If we look at the events we were accused of in 2023, government circles gained votes with such unfair accusations despite our clear stance. They are doing the same thing again. On one hand, an attempt is being made to give a role and a position to someone who is a baby killer and a terrorist leader, whose crime has been finalized. On the other hand, the CHP is being associated with terrorism through such operations. From this hour on, there is nothing left to talk about. There is nothing left to talk about in the face of someone saying 'let a baby killer speak in the TBMM'. It is wrong to treat someone whose crime has been finalized as a counterpart. Who decides who should represent our Kurdish citizens?"

HE RESPONDED TO FATİH PORTAKAL

Journalist Fatih Portakal criticized Mansur Yavaş for not attending the meeting in Esenyurt, stating, "Are you behind your mayor or not? You have to make a decision. Will you stay in this party, or will you move to another party? You can resign and walk as an independent. But at least let your stance be clear."

Fatih Portakal's words were also asked to Yavaş. Yavaş responded as follows:

"That is his own interpretation. I hung a writing by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Ulus Square. One of the six arrows of the CHP is nationalism. But it is clear that those who make this criticism may have forgotten these attributes and are placing the CHP somewhere else. I am a Turkish nationalist loyal to Atatürk's principles, and there are extremely many people within the CHP who think like me. I want this to be known as well. Therefore, it is not me who has lost the orbit, but those who make these criticisms who have lost their orbit. They are trying to load different meanings by forgetting that the CHP is the party that founded this republic. It will never deviate from this line. Everyone has to conduct their politics on this line as well. Unity and integrity, unitary state, parliamentary democracy. These are our sine qua non. They are the sine qua non of the CHP."