İYİ Party's Çömez: Erdoğan is doing all this because he is very afraid

Here are the highlights from the statements made by İYİ Party's Çömez, who joined the program 12'den with Tuncay Mollaveisoğlu:

-Mr. Çömez, a lawsuit is set to be filed against Ekrem İmamoğlu with a request for up to 7 years and 4 months in prison. How do you evaluate this situation?

I wish we could have started with a calmer and more peaceful agenda. However, we have to face issues that strain and demoralize society. Hüseyin Çelik summarizes the situation by saying, "We created a militant judiciary." Yes, that is true. Every day we wake up to a new judicial absurdity.

Recently, an investigation was opened against Mr. Cemal, who joined the CHP, for reading a poem. This reminds us of the period when Erdoğan was politically banned for reading a poem. The lawsuit filed against İmamoğlu is also unjust. We went to the courthouse to support Ümit Özdağ because we are in search of justice. We were also present at İmamoğlu's trial in the same way.

The current holders of power seem to have learned a lesson from FETÖ, with whom they acted together in the past. Turkey needs true democracy, the rule of law, freedoms, and human rights. This oppressive structure must now leave. It is essential for the state to attain a structure that is accountable and holds others accountable.

Unfortunately, we have to face Turkey's problems. Events like the Ergenekon and Balyoz cases in the past passed over all of us like a steamroller. Turkey's journalists and intellectuals were imprisoned and left unemployed. Today, a similar climate of fear has been created.

The government is taking steps that will increasingly create tension in society. For example, the arrest of Ümit Özdağ. First, he was taken into custody for insulting Erdoğan; however, since this crime seemed minor, they are inventing scenarios for his past social media posts and preparing a new indictment. We all see this situation. During the period when conspiracy cases were taking place, we encountered similar films.

-Why is Erdoğan acting this way? The dismissal of the lieutenants, the midnight operations against mayors... Erdoğan wants to conduct these processes as if they were a scandal or as if major counter-terrorism operations were being carried out. If we look at the latest news about Ekrem İmamoğlu, we see the same situation here as well?

You have touched on an important point; we need to go back a bit to solve this situation. Let's look at the Ergenekon period, the days when Erdoğan said, "I am the prosecutor of this case." In that period, the homes of innocent and blameless people were raided, and their families were traumatized. My home was one of them. Erdoğan was supporting that state terrorism with armored vehicles. So, did he apologize? Did he say, "I was deceived"? No, he didn't even raise his voice during this period of persecution. Today, he seems to have learned a lot from that period. Now, we are experiencing another version of this; Turkey does not deserve this.

Recently, deputies from the Republican People's Party (CHP) made criticisms regarding the December 17-25 period. They explained the disclosure of information regarding this period to the public and that the AKP could not explain this situation. Upon this, the AKP group deputy chairman said, "This was a FETÖ conspiracy." Isn't it contradictory for this person, who was the minister of justice at that time, to make such a statement? What kind of hypocrisy is this!

Let's return to the situation of Ümit Özdağ. While Özdağ's statement is being taken, a summary of proceedings (fezleke) is prepared, and the roads to the restaurant where he went to eat are blocked. A special atmosphere is being created here. An image is being created as if a very serious crime has been committed. At the same time, the CHP Youth Branch Chairman is taken from his home by 8 police officers.

Such tactics aim to create a certain perception in society. In the past, during the Ergenekon period, they tried to create fear in people's minds with similar actions. Today, Erdoğan has learned a lot from the past. So, why is he doing these things? Because he is very afraid. Because he is in fear of losing power.

While the economy is shaking outside, tradesmen and retirees are in a miserable state. Women are crying out because their pots are empty. Erdoğan feels the need to convince the women who brought him to power. We know that the reason for this is the fear of hearing the public's criticisms.

Just like in the past, he is trying to scare the public. However, we say, let people speak freely in the streets and tell their troubles. Article 35 of the Constitution ensures this. Erdoğan has an approach of "Whatever I say will happen," and while there is a sense of ownership over the nation, we defend the exact opposite. The true owner of this country is the nation.

Therefore, the dynamics between what is happening today and the events of the past bear similarities. The dismissal of the lieutenants from the TSK is part of this bigger picture.

Truly a sentence that has gone down in our history: Very successful lieutenants were dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces because they were soldiers of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. However, when we bring this situation up, some say, "They committed a disciplinary offense." But it is clear that it is not a disciplinary offense.

Due to the climate of fear you mentioned earlier, there is a government acting with the mindset of "I did it, so it is done." The arrest of Ümit Özdağ is an example of this situation. Özdağ is currently behind bars. The actions against the Esenyurt Mayor and the Beşiktaş Mayor are clear. The trustee-run municipalities also show the seriousness of the situation.

Erdoğan wants to send the message, "I am strong and I am here." However, there is a fear of losing his seat. Under normal circumstances, this fear would make a politician more embracing and inclusive; but we are experiencing the exact opposite. Do you think he can achieve a political result here?

Erdoğan should know this: Democracy, institutions, and rules need to work in Turkey. A strong Erdoğan is formed when the people's children go to bed full, when their pots are boiling, and when people sleep in peace. But unfortunately, Erdoğan is not aware of this. He has not internalized democracy and, in his fear of losing, he chooses to intimidate.

We are opposing this. We say, "Mr. Erdoğan, don't do it, this country does not deserve this tension." We express that the country does not deserve such persecution and oppression. We must allow the judiciary to work independently and enable the institutions and rules of democracy to function. Today, the effectiveness of the parliament is gone; laws are prepared in an environment at the palace and are not properly discussed in committees.

Last week, the issue of trustees came to the agenda with an omnibus bill. This means that companies will be seized and the appointed trustees will be unaccountable. Erdoğan says, "Coup Constitution," but the State Supervisory Council was established with the 1982 coup constitution. At that time, it did not have the powers Erdoğan has now. Now, as the head of the State Supervisory Council, he can make appointments as he wishes.

Such an order is a one-man mindset, and this is not called democracy. We are calling for democracy. We say, "Don't be afraid, when democracy prevails in this country, you will also be comfortable." However, Erdoğan is facing a structure that is not aware of this.

-Well, can a democracy bloc be formed in the opposition?

I sincerely believe that we are at an important turning point for Turkey's future. The Table of Six experience was exposed to criticism in society; however, the steps taken and proposals made at that time still maintain their validity. Our common desire is to democratize Turkey and make it a country of freedoms. For this, it is essential that the legislative, executive, and judicial systems work in a balanced way.

We must save Turkey from the one-man regime and the oppressive order. For this reason, we must put aside our personal concerns and fight for democracy. We do not have the luxury of making mistakes; we have the responsibility to act in a general perspective instead of ambition and personal interests. We may have different political parties, but I sincerely believe that most of the parties on the opposition wing currently believe in democracy. For this reason, I am hopeful about the coming period; this one-man order will come to an end.

ON THE CHP'S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SELECTION...

If we need to talk about the Republican People's Party's (CHP) presidential candidate determination process, it should not be forgotten that the CHP is a deep-rooted party with institutional memory and experienced staff. The party's authorized bodies think that announcing the candidate early is correct and are making efforts in this direction.

However, independent of political identities, I believe that the CHP, as the main opposition party, needs to conduct a stronger opposition. After the March 31 elections, it is of vital importance for the CHP to stand against Erdoğan's projects and display a harsh opposition. Erdoğan tried to create fault lines within by targeting the CHP. However, as far as I can see, the CHP understood that this project did not work and adopted a harsh opposition.

We do not know the candidate of the People's Alliance (Cumhur İttifakı) at the moment. Due to the constitutional order, it is clear that Erdoğan cannot be a candidate. We do not believe this because we are afraid of Erdoğan, but because we believe we have the power to defeat him at the ballot box. But the issue is that this country is governed by a constitutional regime. Erdoğan is trying to position himself by waiting for the announcement of the candidates of the CHP or other parties. This situation is a strategy aimed at taking lawlessness, injustices, and the economic crisis off the agenda.

For this reason, I do not think it would be correct to demand early elections and have a candidate determined. I am worried about triggering a conflict environment that could lead to unnecessary friction in the country. However, in the coming process, they can come together and take the right steps.

Finally, we will make every effort to clear our criminal record and establish the rule of law in this country. To be a guide, we must avoid the competition and conflict within the opposition serving Erdoğan's strategies. For this reason, the opposition must not fall into the government's trap!

The CHP has a strong background and experience, so I hope it does not fall. Erdoğan can no longer consolidate his own base; the most fundamental reason for this is hunger and misery. Along with this, there is also an incompatibility between the AKP's field staff and the headquarters. There are different cliques and groups within the headquarters, and a similar situation exists in the palace. Although Erdoğan analyzes this situation, he is aware that he cannot pull them together. For this reason, he targets the opposition. We, as the opposition, must get out of Erdoğan's playing field. We must proceed with the right strategy.

In today's Turkey, the most important agenda is economic difficulties, the deepening crisis, hunger, misery, lawlessness, injustice, and favoritism. We have to do politics through these problems, explain them to society, and offer solutions. Although the CHP has a certain vote average in the polls, it is important for other parties to contribute to this process.

Especially after the previous local elections, the leadership in our party changed, and we are doing important work in the field. Recent polls show that the İYİ Party's votes are increasing. In this case, it would be unfair for the CHP to just determine a candidate and set off. It is important that these processes are well analyzed in all their aspects.

I see Erdoğan's candidate determination process as a situation that will cause him to set a target for himself in the open field. Since he wants this situation, why hasn't he announced his candidate yet? At a point where Erdoğan cannot be a candidate according to the Constitution, I think he should not be afraid of going to the ballot box.

I see the CHP as an ally. Since we are fighting for democracy on the same front, I argue that the steps the CHP will take should be carefully planned. It is clear that the opposition should probably set the agenda and the government should follow us. Turkey's primary agenda is poverty and hunger. We have documented and presented many situations, such as the Newborn Gang, to the public. The dismissal of the former minister of health is related to the documents we presented.

Therefore, we have to conduct a strong opposition, explain the true face of the AKP to society, and get support. We must increase our work in such situations even more and convey it to society clearly.

THE DISMISSAL OF THE LIEUTENANTS...

In this context, there are rumors about the lieutenants in the Turkish Armed Forces. It is an important issue that needs to be evaluated, especially through Atatürk's military legacy.

The unlawful dismissal of the lieutenants created a significant reaction in society. The existence of four commanders who questioned this dismissal system makes this situation even more important. The four people who said "no" to these dismissals as a result of the voting are names that will go down in history. Protecting these young officers appears as a democratic responsibility.

The Dreyfus Affair example from the past is quite instructive. Captain Dreyfus in the French army was unjustly dismissed from the army, and Émile Zola, one of the intellectuals who believed he was right, fought a great battle to openly announce this situation to the public. Such cases show the importance of standing against lawlessness and opposing injustice. No matter what political view we have, standing by those who are subjected to injustice is a democratic responsibility.

Returning to our lieutenants, these young people are the children of Anatolia. In recent weeks, a father, while explaining that his son had no crime other than loving his homeland and the Republic, emotionally expressed that they work in their fields and that their children are children who are loyal to the values of this country. These young people should not be targeted with Erdoğan's promise of cleansing; they are all children of the homeland and individuals loyal to the country's values.

Erdoğan's words, "It will be 30, it will be 50, we will cleanse them," should be evaluated as a threat affecting the lives of these young people. However, these young people reveal their loyalty to the country's founding values by saying, "We are the soldiers of Atatürk." When they express that they are ready to sacrifice their lives for the unity of the country by standing with respect and honor at official ceremonies, they are actually displaying the highest point of patriotism. They did not refrain from showing that they are exemplary individuals with their disciplinary grades as well.

This situation once again reveals the importance of opposing lawlessness and saying stop to injustice. By protecting our lieutenants, we must stand by the democratic struggle.

The lieutenants, without showing any indiscipline throughout their lives, thanked President Erdoğan and their commanders by taking their oath at the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, the commander announced that the official procedures were completed by saying, "The ceremony is over." The bright young lieutenants came together with their friends and stated that they were soldiers of Atatürk.

However, the oath these young people read at the ceremony was called a "pirate oath" by some critics. Whereas, the oath that should have been taken before at the ceremony had already been taken. Many commanders present at the ceremony had taken the same oath in the past. The Minister of National Defense also stated that he took this oath in Parliament. Along with this, the allegations that these young people were undisciplined are unacceptable; because both a legal advisor with deep legal knowledge and high-ranking commanders concluded that there was no indiscipline here.

The mistake seen here is because the social conscience is damaged. As a society, we have forgotten to look at events from a black-and-white perspective and to understand opposing views. Ak Party supporters made heavy accusations against these lieutenants for five months. These respectable young people were subjected to summary executions as valuable members of the Turkish army.

Why didn't the Land Forces Commander, the Minister of National Defense, and the Chief of General Staff prevent the insults made to these lieutenants? After all, these young people are the children of this country. I hope that the decision made will be overturned by the administrative court and that this wound will close before it grows. Turkey needs law and democracy to get out of the situation we are in.

TERRORISM AND ABDULLAH ÖCALAN HEADLINES...

Within the framework of the new constitution discussions, developments regarding the AKP presenting Abdullah Öcalan to society as a savior are also noteworthy. This situation is important for social peace and stability.

While evaluating Erdoğan's stance on the fight against terrorism, I would like to point out important points here. Those who say that terrorism will continue to exist should be labeled as traitors. It is necessary to express that everyone is ready to do their best for terrorism to end. The end of terrorism is, of course, a desired situation.

However, there are some questions I want to ask Erdoğan. For a long time, for 22 years, why didn't he take the necessary steps regarding terrorist organizations? Saying "I will bury you" does not go beyond a threat. If he could have done this work, why didn't he realize it for years?

Erdoğan has sent delegations to the terrorist leader and tried to establish a dialogue with him. But it is unacceptable to be under the influence of a murderer whose actions resulted in the deaths of 50,000 people. Many martyrs were given, children were held captive for years, but what steps did he take against this situation? When Turkish troops were under threat in Northern Iraq, why weren't sufficient precautions taken?

Besides these, what were the steps Erdoğan took for the fight against terrorism for 22 years? Were democratic, legal, economic, diplomatic, and military steps taken sufficiently? When he came to power, terrorism was almost at zero point; today, the reason for our outcry is the steps not taken during this process.

An incredible situation is the assignment of some politicians in parliament to carry messages to the terrorist leader. In this case, why weren't not only AKP deputies but also MHP deputies considered as part of such dialogues? How can such relationships be legitimized? In parliament, a mindset that is the head of everything causes injustices.

Getting the answers to these questions is quite important for Turkey's fight against terrorism. Acting in a process where law, justice, and democracy are taken as a basis is of critical importance for the peace of society.

In the speeches, evaluations are made about what Erdoğan aims for from the process. It is stated that Erdoğan's goal is to maintain his power and change the constitution with the consensus within the party and to get support in the elections. It is stated that he aims to extend his seat life with this strategy.

Demirtaş and his party, which came to the agenda later, are demanding important changes in the constitution. They especially want the language of education to be Turkish and Kurdish and demand a change in the 66th article, which defines the citizenship of the Republic of Turkey. In addition, a four-part confederative structure for Kurdish societies or a federation similar to the Moro region in the Philippines is proposed.

However, it is emphasized that the main agenda in this process is America's Greater Middle East Project. An autonomous Kurdish state was established in Iraq, and similar structures are being formed in the east of the Euphrates in Syria. It is stated that Turkey is asked to recognize groups like the PKK and YPG in this process. It is stated that the American administration is pressuring Erdoğan to accept this situation, and this could pose a significant threat to Turkey's national security.

Erdoğan's failure to object to this situation shows that the state mind is not working sufficiently. It is noted that the memory of institutions has been destroyed, and therefore some concepts related to state administration have lost their meaning.

In addition, in the analyses made in the past, situations such as the international crisis group suggesting that the PKK end its activities in Turkey and join the ranks of the PYD and YPG in Syria parallel the current discussions. In line with all these developments, attention is drawn to the importance of the steps Turkey needs to take in both domestic and foreign policy.

In the speech, a person who states that he has been analyzing Turkey's policies and developments in the region for years emphasizes that the process in Iraq and Turkey's role in this context are important. He shares his thoughts on the tensions and instabilities in the region with the warnings they made in the past. It is stated that with Turkey's economic situation and the increase in social distrust, the country has come to a fragile position. It is stated that this situation is also associated with the flow of people in Syria and that Turkey is being prepared for the Greater Middle East Project.

In addition, evaluations are made about the situation in Gaza. Attention is drawn to the plans to evacuate Gaza and what happened during this process. It is emphasized that the events in Gaza are connected to Syria and that global developments affect this situation. Especially the weakening effect of the conflicts over Ukraine on Russia and alternative energy routes and trade plans are mentioned.

It is pointed out that new roads are being tried to be built through alternative centers like India instead of existing structures, and that Gaza will be transformed into a larger energy and trade center within the framework of this new order. It is argued that the plans of America and Israel are behind the strategies here. As for where the people in Gaza will go, it is stated that suggestions could be the Sinai Desert, Lebanon, or perhaps Turkey.