Imamoglu and Yavaş react to dismissal request for lieutenants: 'I kiss our youth on their foreheads'
CHP Deputy Chairman Yankı Bağcıoğlu announced that Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu and Lieutenant İzzet Talip Akarsu have been notified of their referral to the High Disciplinary Board with the aim of 'dismissal from the Turkish Armed Forces' as part of the investigation launched following the sword-oath ceremony. Harsh reactions to the decision came from CHP figures.
12punto
Reactions to the decision from CHP figures came one after another. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu said, "I will always stand by Atatürk's soldiers." Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş, who reacted to the decision, stated, "I believe it would be right to re-evaluate this decision. I kiss our youth on their foreheads."
İMAMOĞLU: I WILL STAND BY ATATÜRK'S SOLDIERS
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu also stated in a post on his social media account that he would stand by the lieutenants:
"The decision to request the dismissal of our young lieutenants is very sad. These successful young members of the Turkish Armed Forces, who have committed no crime, have been victimized enough. I will always stand by the soldiers of the Republic and Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk with all my support."
YAVAŞ: LOYALTY TO ATATÜRK CANNOT BE A CRIME
Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Mansur Yavaş expressed his support for the lieutenants with the following words:
"Loyalty to Atatürk is not a crime, and it never can be!
This determined stance shown by our young lieutenants who were referred to disciplinary action by saying 'We are Atatürk's soldiers' carries the spirit of the Republic.
I believe it would be right to re-evaluate this decision. I kiss our youth on their foreheads."
WHAT HAPPENED?
At the Military Academy graduation ceremony held on August 30, it became a major topic of discussion when the lieutenants chanted the slogan "We are Mustafa Kemal's soldiers" and, after reading the official oath in the presence of the protocol, crossed their swords to recite the traditional oath after the protocol had left the ceremony area.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had made the following statement regarding the issue: "Recently, at the graduation ceremony, some opportunists emerged and drew swords. Who are you drawing these swords against? All necessary investigations regarding them are being conducted, and those few ignorant people there will be cleared out as well."