İYİ Party Leader Dervişoğlu: I believe Turkey will have to pay a share of the costs likely to arise in this region

Responding to questions from Uğur Dündar on the Arena program on Sözcü TV, Dervişoğlu, when asked about the developments following the overthrow of the Baath regime in Syria, stated that one must approach what is happening in Syria with a comprehensive historical consciousness and produce a common state wisdom to solve the problems.

Dervişoğlu said that what happened in Iraq in 2003 is being planned in Syria today, and that a new structure will be formed there by taking advantage of the differences on Syrian territory.

When reminded of the statements made by US President-elect Donald Trump regarding President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Turkey following the overthrow of the Baath regime in Syria, Dervişoğlu said, "The US is making a strategic move and has determined where it will send the bill. By acting on the assumption that Turkey cannot read all these events in their historical dimension, it is actually throwing Turkey in front of other major powers that are losing power and influence in the regional geography with this statement. Looking at these statements, I am of the opinion that Turkey will have to pay a share of the costs likely to arise in this geography."

When reminded of AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik's words, "HTS was defined as a terrorist organization. Today, it is respected by the vast majority of the Syrian people. Meeting with the HTS leader is a sign of respect for the will of the people. The MIT, by its nature, meets with everyone. The forces that the Syrian people accept as legitimate today are also legitimate for us," Dervişoğlu spoke as follows:

"It can also be evaluated as a statement that the organization is no longer a terrorist organization within the framework of the support it receives from the Syrian people on the Turkish side. These are extremely wrong things. Turkey, of course, makes strategic moves to maintain its existence in a risky geography, but all of these must be done with caution. Furthermore, I am of the opinion that it is useful to take the Russia factor into account here. One of the bosses in that geography was Russia, and another was Iran. There was the intervention that the US carried out with its allies. Israel's ambitions over the geography are also known to everyone. Turkey is acting extremely imprudently."

"TURKEY NEEDS TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS NOW"

Stating that the events in Syria impose different burdens on Turkey and that the right steps must be taken to get rid of all of them, Dervişoğlu continued:

"We say that what we experienced in Iraq, we are experiencing in Syria today. A wish like 'We defend the territorial integrity of Syria' does not solve the problem. We were also defending the territorial integrity of Iraq, but Iraq was divided. Now Syria is also at the stage of division. Israel is trying to do its part to strengthen its goals. It captured the Golan Heights. Turkey must also do its part. It is necessary to take measures to prevent the Iraqi PKK and the Syrian PKK from meeting at its own border. Turkey needs to take precautions now to protect border security. There is a necessity to establish a security line starting from Tabqa, reaching Raqqa, Hasakah, and even Sinjar within the Iraqi border, and connecting with Qamishli. Also, the tomb of Suleyman Shah has changed its location for the second time. It was moved to a region close to Ayn al-Arab. Turkey must intervene immediately to move the tomb to its original location, that is, Qal'at Ja'bar, and determine the border of the security line accordingly."

Regarding Syrian refugees in Turkey, Dervişoğlu said, "Turkey should immediately abolish the temporary refugee status. It should cancel the readmission agreement it made with Europe in exchange for a price. It should also revoke the citizenships granted to Syrians."

MUNICIPALITIES' SGK PREMIUM DEBTS

Responding to a question regarding the collection of the Social Security Institution's (SGK) receivables from municipalities, Dervişoğlu said, "One must have lost their compassion to be able to take steps that could prevent a public institution from serving the citizens. It is blocking the accounts of municipalities that are in opposition to it and treating their subsidiaries the same way. This means putting a lien on the services that will go to the citizens. SGK premium debts are debts inherited from the previous term, and there is an opportunity to restructure them."

When asked about his proposals regarding the planned raises for the minimum wage and pensions, Dervişoğlu explained that they addressed the problems of retirees by organizing a Retirees' Congress and that they visited TİSK and Türk-İş before the congress.

Noting that they made an assessment by taking all parameters into account while determining expectations and that a minimum wage that would also balance the employer's position should be determined, Dervişoğlu reiterated his proposals that the minimum wage should not be below 28 thousand liras net and that the lowest pension should be regulated provided that it is not less than the minimum wage.