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CHP leader Özgür Özel to a farmer: 'Let your friends hold you accountable'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel is making statements regarding the agenda at his party's group meeting.

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Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel is speaking at his party's group meeting.

Reminding that his party was in Soma last week due to the massacre 10 years ago where 301 miners lost their lives, Özgür Özel once again conveyed his condolences to the relatives of the workers who lost their lives.

"INTEREST HAS GRADUALLY DIMINISHED"

Emphasizing that many political parties and the media have reduced their interest after the first few days of the trial, in which 87 hearings were held, Özel continued as follows:

"In the first days, a tremendous struggle for justice was taking place, and with the replacement of a young judge who was to deliver the verdict before the decision, a ruling that broke all our hearts was made in the first-instance court. The Court of Cassation overturned the decision and sent it back with a request for life imprisonment. 3 of the 5 members were dismissed and 3 pro-government members were appointed in their place."

Stating that there was the largest crowd in history in Soma yesterday, Özel said that the atmosphere had changed and said, "We swear we will change the justice system." Calling on the working class to 'organize', Özel invited workers to become members of 'real unions that will seek their rights'.

Stating that they had issued warnings many times before the massacre in Soma, Özel said that the 4 parties that had groups in Parliament at that time agreed on most of the report prepared after the massacre.

Özel said, "I invite everyone with a conscience and morality to think more about the measures that are not implemented just so this savage capitalist order can make more money."

Celebrating May 14 Pharmacy Day, Özgür Özel brought the problems of pharmacists to the agenda. Özel, who is also a pharmacist himself, said, "I am proud of my profession."

Özgür Özel stated that companies do not want to bring new drugs to Turkey due to the exchange rate increase and that patients suffer financial losses due to price differences. Expressing that there are also problems in the pricing system, Özgür Özel stated that the necessary steps have not been taken regarding domestic production.

TOLD THE FARMER TO 'BE QUIET'

Upon a farmer's speech, Özel said, "We have talked about this before. I will skip the topic of anyone who speaks out of turn. There are 6 pages of farmer notes here. Now let your friends hold you accountable. I am not talking about farmers because of this friend. Quiet, quiet, quiet, we will talk. There are so many friends of farmers in this party; from our deputy chairman to our group deputy chairman, to our deputies..."

"THE FARMER LOSES MONEY AS THEY PLANT"

Özgür Özel also celebrated World Farmers' Day.

Saying "There is no life without farmers", Özgür Özel spoke as follows:

"The Republic made the most accurate assessment and took major steps for agriculture to reach its potential. During the Second World War years, land reform to provide land to landless farmers and rural restoration efforts were carried out in a promising way. With the policies implemented for 20 years, Turkey's cultivated land has decreased. The farmer is in a vicious cycle where they lose money as they plant and go bankrupt as they produce."

"CHP MUNICIPALITIES ARE FAR AHEAD OF THE SAVINGS CIRCULAR"

Özel also touched upon the savings package announced yesterday. He announced that as the CHP, they are calling on everyone in Parliament for a more comprehensive savings circular than the one put forward by the executive branch. Stating that the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) should also switch to savings, Özgür Özel said that practices far ahead of this savings circular have been implemented in CHP-run municipalities.

Özel continued as follows:

"When looking at the past accounts of CHP municipalities, they have done twice the work for half the price. Our efficiency is high when we produce. This does not happen by itself. Instead of giving tenders to pro-government companies, CHP mayors can create employment and complete the work for half the price."

CRITICISM OF THE 'GANG OF FIVE'

Emphasizing that they object to the article in the savings circular that foresees creating new employment only as much as the employees who retire in the public sector, Özel gave an example through teachers who have not been appointed. Asking those listening to him, "Did you see anything about the 'gang of five'?", Özgür Özel made the following statements:

"TAKE MORE FROM THOSE WHO EARN MORE, LESS FROM THOSE WHO EARN LESS"

"There were those who defended Palace expenditures by saying 'there is no savings from prestige.' Mehmet Şimşek was calling official vehicles 'pocket change' in 2015, and now he has prepared a 3-year savings circular. It means those who were friends of the poor back then were telling the truth. The only article in the whole circular that increases my hope is tax justice. 100 liras of tax is collected in Turkey. 65 of this is indirect tax.

Meaning diesel, natural gas, water... The richest industrialist and the worker working there pay the same tax on these products. This is the injustice of indirect tax. The remaining 24 is the money deducted from the worker, laborer, retiree, and civil servant before they even withdraw their salary. 11 is the tax everyone pays from their income. Tax should be taken more from those who earn more, less from those who earn less, and nothing from those who earn nothing."

MESSAGE ON THE KOBANI TRIAL

Finally, speaking about the Kobani Trial, for which a verdict is expected on Thursday, Özgür Özel stated that the defendants' right to a fair trial has been violated and said that a decision in accordance with ECHR rulings and the constitution should be made.

Özel continued his words as follows:

"They took Mr. Demirtaş, their co-chairmen, and 108 people, and they are keeping 18 people inside. Essentially, it is a trial to remove HDP politicians from politics and a trial where they are being tried without being provided the right to a fair trial. This case will be heard on Thursday. We will follow this case with a strong delegation. We think that a decision in accordance with justice should be made. The expectation that the judiciary should be kept away from political authority is the expectation of every citizen. The trial did not go that way, but we hope that the decision will at least be in accordance with universal legal rules and that the Constitutional Court and ECHR rulings will be implemented."

Özgür Özel added that they will be at Saraçhane Square to support the meeting that teachers who have not been appointed will hold on May 18.