CHP leader Özel's 'Erdoğan' outburst in Brussels! 'He acts like he owns Turkey'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel traveled to Brussels for the Party of European Socialists (PES) EU Summit Leaders' Preparatory Meeting. There, Özel addressed European socialist politicians, drawing attention to the lawlessness in Turkey and the increasing pressure on the CHP.

"ATTACKS HAVE EVOLVED INTO A NEW DIMENSION"

Highlights from Özel's speech are as follows:

"We are exposing the trade they still conduct covertly and secretly with Israel. We are putting pressure on the government. It may not yield results on the government itself, but it is causing the necessary enlightenment and political reaction among voters who voted for this government thinking it was pro-Palestine. Attacks on democracy, the popular will, and our party in our country have evolved into a brand new dimension. We attach great importance to solidarity among democrats. Authoritarianism in Turkey has increased and continues to increase. In our region, new conflicts have begun to erupt. Democracy and justice are under heavy attack. Unlawful judicial processes are being carried out against party leaders, politicians, mayors, journalists, and students, and the measure of detention, which should be an exception, has begun to become a general rule.

Our presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested on the day his candidacy was announced and was placed in Silivri Prison. Along with him, our mayors are also in prison. On March 18, our presidential candidate İmamoğlu's university diploma was canceled 31 years later. On March 19, the day after the diploma cancellation, he was detained and then arrested and put in prison. We characterized this process as the 'March 19' coup.

"ERDOĞAN DOESN'T EVEN FEEL 10 PERCENT OF IT"

Every weekend, we hold the largest protest rallies in a metropolitan city. We are grateful for the support given by the President and executives of the PES, whether by coming to Turkey or from afar, but it would be wrong to say that Erdoğan feels even 10 percent of the pressure he should feel from EU countries in the international community. Erdoğan currently acts as if he owns Turkey, manages Europe's security concerns in his own way, and has fallen below 30 percent in the latest polls from the position where he was elected with 51 percent. The CHP, on the other hand, became the leading party in the last elections, and its support in the polls has risen to 41 percent.

Unfortunately, because countries and leaders in Europe see Erdoğan as having no alternative and make him feel this, he continues to use this to his advantage in domestic politics and to exploit the impression that there is no other option in the world but Erdoğan. In the current conjuncture, it is normal for all of us to be concerned about security, but there is a very sensitive point here. If we voice security concerns as much as right-wingers do, fuel them together with them, and make them the main agenda item, we will fall into the pit they want to drag us into. Wherever security concerns are discussed very loudly, authoritarians grow stronger.

"OUR PEOPLE'S FACES ARE TURNED TOWARD EUROPE"

We do not find it right that relations between Turkey and the EU are first placed in the bracket of refugees and now security. Turkey is not limited to the Erdoğan government. Our party is the leading party. A change in government is just a matter of the calendar. The future of Turkey and EU democracies is their relationship with each other. As the CHP, we support Turkey being democratic, militarily strong, and the development of defense relations with the EU. In an environment where EU values are ignored, the 'give-and-take' bargaining now being conducted over security, following the bargaining over refugees, will not serve the interests of either Turkey or the EU. Turkey is a respected partner of the EU; it should never be pushed away but rather drawn closer. While doing so, it should invite Turkey to the ground of democracy and law. Because our people's faces are turned toward Europe.

Visa problems must be solved; we are a party that aims for full membership in the EU. The most important steps in this regard have taken place during CHP governments or governments in which it was a partner. We have a strategy to implement the Copenhagen criteria. The support of our sister parties on this issue is important to us."