Support visit from Ümit Özdağ to CHP Headquarters: He made statements

Following the meeting, the two leaders held a press conference at the CHP Headquarters.

While Özgür Özel thanked Özdağ for canceling his program, Victory Party leader Özdağ stated that they would fight to defend Turkish democracy and the rule of law, and declared his support for the CHP during this process.

Here are the statements from the Chairmen:

Özgür Özel:

"Today, we are perhaps experiencing one of the most critical days in Turkish political history, and you are witnessing a moment that will perhaps go down in history. The chairman of one party visited another political party at 2:15 AM, and we are now holding a press conference. The chairman had gone to Antalya for an intensive six-day work program, and as soon as he received the news, he returned within minutes and visited us. I would like to thank him and his delegation very much for this solidarity visit on a critical day in the history of the CHP and Turkish democracy."

'WE CAME TO DECLARE OUR SUPPORT FOR THE CHP'

Ümit Özdağ:

"We saw that Turkish democracy was going through a severe crisis. Today, this crisis has reached its peak, and an atmosphere is being created as if to say 'let's shut down all political parties and let only one party enter the election.' We see that the government, which cannot put forward an exit strategy for Turkey, is now developing successive operations to eliminate the opposition by using the law. Those who are candidates are being arrested, and political parties are being tried to be divided and shut down. And while all this is being done, they say, 'But the law has made a decision, this must be implemented, it must be respected.' Of course, the law must be respected, but first, the government must respect the law by implementing the Constitutional Court (AYM) rulings so that it can then expect other parties and citizens to comply with the decisions made by the courts. But today, there is a government in Turkey that does not recognize the AYM rulings and refuses to implement them. And in this process, while the decisions made by the YSK, which is a constitutional institution, are clear, interfering in politics in this way with a decision made by any court is not a matter that can be easily accepted in a democratic state of law.

We are here today to defend the state and democracy. Look, I am underlining this: We are here to defend the state and democracy. What else will those who do this today not do tomorrow? But Turkey will not become North Korea, Turkey will not become Russia. The Turkish people are a people who believe in democracy. The Turkish people are a people who have demonstrated their deep belief in democracy many times. This is a difficult process. We are here at this hour of the night to declare our support as the Victory Party and Victory Party members to the chairman and all CHP members as they go through this difficult process. I wish such a decision had not been made, I wish the democratic state of law had functioned normally, and you would not have to be here at this hour. Mr. Chairman, we sincerely wish you success in your struggle for democracy and law. We are also part of that struggle."

WHAT HAPPENED

Victory Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ returned to Ankara following the "absolute nullity" ruling in the case regarding the 38th Ordinary Congress of the CHP. Özdağ announced that he had canceled his 3-day program that he had started in the Serik district of Antalya.

"THE DECISION ON THE CHP IS A BLOW TO DEMOCRACY"

In a statement on his social media account, Özdağ included the following remarks:

"I am canceling the 3-day Antalya program that I started 1 hour ago in Antalya Serik and returning to Ankara. The absolute nullity ruling on the CHP is a blow dealt to democracy. The Victory Party executive board will meet this evening at 20:00 under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Ali Şehirlioğlu."

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING HELD, DECISION TO VISIT ÖZEL WAS MADE

The Victory Party executive board met at the specified time under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Ali Şehirlioğlu. In the statement made after the meeting, the party's stance regarding the "absolute nullity" ruling and the roadmap to be followed were evaluated. In line with the decision taken at the meeting, it was announced that Ümit Özdağ, the first leader to react to the "nullity" ruling, would visit CHP Leader Özgür Özel.