Will there be a penalty for hand-kissing? Bahçeli's photo brings to mind the commander who held a ceremony for Kılıçdaroğlu

Burak DEMİRBAŞ -12punto.com.tr

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli visited the Special Operations Presidency in Ankara Gölbaşı for July 15. Bahçeli, who arrived at the Special Operations Presidency in the Gölbaşı district, was welcomed by Director General of Security Erol Ayyıldız and his accompanying delegation.

After laying a wreath at the Special Operations Monument with the inscription "The nation is grateful to you", Bahçeli offered a prayer.

Bahçeli, who greeted the special operations police officers, left the campus after meeting with Ayyıldız and those accompanying him for a while.

Special Operations President Süleyman Karadeniz kissed the hand of MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli.

While the images sparked controversy, it emerged that special operations police officers also lined up to kiss Bahçeli's hand.

KILIÇDAROĞLU CAME TO MIND

Bahçeli's hand-kissing images brought to mind the visit of former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to the Bandırma 6th Main Jet Base Command, where he landed with his private plane before his Balıkesir program in 2017.

Kılıçdaroğlu was welcomed at the military ceremony at the Bandırma 6th Main Jet Base by Base Commander Air Pilot Brigadier General Ahmet Biçer.

Regarding the official ceremony held during the visit, the then-CHP Deputy Chairman Çetin Osman Budak had described the visit as follows:

“Permission was requested in advance because the military airport would be used. However, the visit developed spontaneously. 10 minutes before the plane landed, the commander asked, ‘Would you like to have a tea or coffee?’ We welcomed the Chairman at the airport; the base commander was going to offer tea. It was a courtesy visit. When we went to the command building, we saw a 10-soldier honor guard at the door. The commander said to the Chairman, ‘Will you say hello?’ The Chairman said, ‘Hello soldier.’ Inside, a small plaque was also given to the Chairman. He had landed at the air base; there is nothing more natural than stopping by for a tea out of courtesy.”

AN INVESTIGATION HAD BEEN LAUNCHED

The then-Minister of National Defense Fikri Işık had said, "I personally assigned our Head of the Inspection Board. I said, ’Go, examine this issue and conduct the investigation if necessary. Bring me the report on this.’ The statement of our Air Force Commander last night is his own internal review. It is not binding; but the final decision belongs to our ministry's Inspection Board. We will take action according to the report that comes."

The then-Air Force Commander General Abidin Ünal, on the other hand, made statements at the reception held at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) on April 23, 2017, regarding Kılıçdaroğlu being welcomed with a military ceremony at the base command, noting, “The investigation began with the directive of the Chief of General Staff. I completed the investigation and submitted my report. Let me say it in two words: there is no intent, but there is a fault.”

Additionally, Air Pilot Brigadier General Ahmet Biçer was given a "warning" penalty.

HARSH REACTION FROM ÖZGÜR ÖZEL

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, who brought the issue to the agenda at his party's group meeting, stated the following in his statement:

"Showing respect to a politician is fine. How that politician responds to this, and what they allow, is their own preference. We respect these, but we never accept that those who receive a salary from this state, who should serve for the entirety of this nation, and who are in uniform with authority, should bow down to a part of politics in this country, a small part of it, or kiss hands and hems, period."

'4TH IN STATE PROTOCOL'

Evaluating the controversial images and the 2017 ceremony for 12punto, CHP Deputy Chairman responsible for the Ministry of National Defense Yankı Bağcıoğlu said the following:

"First of all, I would like to start my words by stating that there is no similarity between the event that took place in accordance with the state's protocol rules regarding Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu and the event that happened yesterday.

As will be remembered, in the event that took place in 2017, our Chairman, who is in 4th place in the state protocol as the Chairman of the Main Opposition Party, used the Bandırma Military Airport for an election campaign he was conducting for Balıkesir and its districts, and in this context, a welcoming ceremony was held by the Base Commander in accordance with protocol rules.

However, an investigation was launched into this practice, which was carried out in accordance with state protocol rules, and as a result of the investigation, the Base Commander was found at fault with the ridiculous excuse that this practice was not in accordance with election period restrictions.

As can be seen, an investigation was launched even for a welcoming ceremony that was in accordance with state protocol rules.

'IN A WAY THAT SHOWS LOYALTY TO THE PARTY...'

The event that happened yesterday, let alone state protocol rules, is a practice that cannot be thought of in a democratic country. A member of the Security organization, which should be impartial, kissed the hand of a party leader in a way that shows his loyalty to the party, trampling on the principle of political impartiality of civil servants.

In this context, as stated by our Chairman Özgür Özel at today's parliamentary meeting, I would like to express that we care about the loyalty of well-trained, meritorious staff to the state, not to sects, parties, or individuals.

CRITICISM OF STAFFING

In the final analysis, this event has also been the most concrete indicator of staffing within the state and that sympathizers of a certain party are being appointed to critical positions.

As a result, we leave the final evaluation of this photo, which is the embodiment of our findings that there is staffing based on loyalty rather than merit within the state, to the conscience of our people."