CHP Spokesperson Deniz Yücel: Mr. Erdoğan, with his 'cunning ideas,' has bankrupted the country

The Republican People's Party (CHP) continues its work on candidates for the local elections to be held on March 31. It is expected that the process of determining mayoral candidates will be largely completed at the CHP's Party Assembly (PM) meeting today.

CHP Spokesperson Yücel held a press conference regarding the MYK meeting. Yücel stated the following:

"The price of a kilo of meat is 500 TL. Even if you try to buy the cheapest, the price of a kilo of cheese has reached 300 liras. I am not even mentioning rent increases, electricity, or natural gas bills. Because Mr. Erdoğan refuses to economize on prestige, people in this country are collecting rotten fruits and vegetables from market stalls.

"LET US SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"

Retirees are also citizens of this country, and they have families they are responsible for. We reject the mentality that ignores retirees and condemns them to hunger and poverty. I am calling out to retirees. Come, let us bury this mentality at the ballot box. Let us teach a lesson at the polls to this mentality that deems hunger, scarcity, and poverty worthy of you. I am calling out to the relatives of retirees. Let us say 'enough is enough' to the mentality that deems this poverty wage worthy of your mothers, fathers, and elders who have worked for years to raise you, educate you, and prepare you for life. We will not stop defending the rights of retirees and voicing the grievances they experience.

"IT IS NOT JUST RETIREES WHO ARE BEING CRUSHED"

You know very well; it is not just retirees who are being crushed under the heavy economic conditions in the country. Poverty is deepening in all segments of society. Research shows that the increase in food prices is increasing the risk of hunger day by day. The hunger threshold has exceeded the minimum wage of 17 thousand 2 TL. For the past week, the soap-opera-like adventures of the Central Bank Governor and his family have been the topic of conversation. Since the day the Central Bank Governor took office, he has been on the agenda with his gaffes regarding monetary policy and the privileges provided for himself and his family.

"MR. ERDOĞAN, WITH HIS 'CUNNING IDEAS,' HAS BANKRUPTED THE COUNTRY"

As always, the AKP puts its own future ahead of the country's future. Speaking of the Central Bank, the policy rate was increased by 250 basis points yesterday and raised to 45 percent. What did Erdoğan say? As long as this brother of yours is in power, interest rates will not rise. You will see, inflation will also fall along with interest rates.

He said this many times. He said it once more shortly before the May 14 elections. Neither interest rates fell nor did inflation fall.

When these words were spoken, the interest rate was 8.5 percent and inflation was 45.5 percent. In 9 months, neither interest rates nor inflation fell. On the contrary, they skyrocketed. Mr. Erdoğan, who has 'cunning ideas' like 'interest is the cause, inflation is the result,' has bankrupted the country.

"THEY ARE SELLING CITY HOSPITALS TO ARAB INVESTORS"

Imagine a country where its citizens are dying of illness and cannot get an appointment to see a doctor. Even if they get an appointment, they cannot find medicine. On one hand, the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) is making statements that operating rooms are full and the virus is spreading day by day. On the other hand, an AKP-affiliated rector is saying, 'I am using connections to get an appointment.' There are no empty chairs left in the red zones of emergency rooms.

Our citizens cannot even find generic drugs in pharmacies. While the whole world is sounding a virus alarm, the AKP is playing the 'three monkeys' regarding the collapsing health system. -Citizens cannot get appointments from either city hospitals or public hospitals.

The system is locked. The system is not working. Selling has become such a habit for the AKP that they cannot stop. Now they are selling Erdoğan's dreams. They are selling the city hospitals, which Mr. Erdoğan calls his 'dream,' to Arab investors. Negotiations are ongoing with an Arab investor from the Gulf for the sale of a city hospital.

"WHY WAS THE PERMISSION NOT GRANTED TO ÖZGÜR ÖZEL GRANTED TO HAMZA DAĞ?"

We recently experienced an example of a political mentality that treats citizens differently based on their political stance in İzmir. After our Chairman Mr. Özgür Özel was elected chairman, our party organization and our fellow citizens in İzmir made preparations at Adnan Menderes Airport to welcome him with great excitement and enthusiasm during his first visit to İzmir for the Manisa program on November 7, 2023.

We requested platform support for our Chairman to address the citizens, but the İzmir Governor's Office did not grant permission citing 'security' reasons. However, we saw the double standard with an incident that occurred on January 20. The permission that was not granted to the chairman of the main opposition party of the Republic of Turkey was granted to the AKP's mayoral candidate.

I am asking the İzmir Governor's Office. Why was the permission that was not granted to Özgür Özel granted to Hamza Dağ? Are you the governor of the state or the government? If you say 'I am the AKP's governor,' do you have the courage to say this bravely and honestly? The İzmir Governor's Office, which acts like a partisan with a party-state mentality, must make a statement regarding this issue immediately.

"AKP HAS TURNED A PUBLIC BUS INTO A STUDIO"

The AKP, which cannot accept losing Istanbul, has turned a public bus into a studio to smear Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu, hired actors, written a script, and is filming a movie as if the public bus broke down and citizens were victimized. What is the goal? To smear the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Mr. İmamoğlu.

"THE PUBLIC WILL NOT FORGIVE THE AKP GOVERNMENT EITHER"

Students in the third and fourth grades will meet with a spiritual counselor, homework will be done, and students will perform the noon prayer and return home. Those who hold educational activities and evaluation meetings in luxury hotels send children home after making them pray when it comes to them. It does not cross their minds to spend money out of their own pockets for children. We are tired of the efforts to design education through the Diyanet.

We are aware of your efforts to shape the social structure as you wish by distancing our children from the secular system in the light of reason and science. Take your dirty hands off our children. What happens if you don't? Let me explain that to you with the words of the late Uğur Mumcu.

'Whoever uses religious exploitation may be useful for a while, but in the end, they will definitely be defeated at the ballot box. The public does not forgive.' The public will not forgive the AKP government, which combines religion with ostentation and uses it as a tool for official cars. I commemorate Uğur Mumcu with mercy and gratitude, who said, 'I am a Kemalist, I am a Republican, I am in favor of a fully independent Turkey, I am a defender of human rights, I am against terrorism, I am an enemy of bigots. So strike, tear apart. From every piece of me, people like me will surpass me, will emerge.'"

In his speech, Yücel also touched upon the murder of Sinan Ateş, the former head of the Ülkü Ocakları, who lost his life as a result of an assassination on December 30, 2022, and said:

"Exactly one year has passed since he was murdered in the middle of the street. Again the same scenario... The perpetrator is known, those who shield the perpetrator are known. The only thing that is unknown is the AKP's justice."

"THERE IS NO INFORMATION REACHING US REGARDING İLGEZDİ'S RESIGNATION"

Answering questions after his speech, Yücel spoke as follows regarding the allegations that Ataşehir Mayor Battal İlgezdi resigned:

"Resignation is a unilateral declaration. There is no such information reaching us. You can confirm this from Mr. İlgezdi, who is alleged to have resigned."

"WE MEET WITH EVERY PARTY REPRESENTED IN THE TBMM"

Yücel responded as follows to questions about "what is the extent of your contacts with the DEM Party" and the words of IYI Party Chairman Meral Akşener targeting the DEM Party and CHP meetings:

"We have said it before. We meet with every political party represented in the TBMM. The DEM Party is also a party represented in the TBMM. This is a requirement of democracy. However, whether they field candidates in certain electoral districts, provinces, or districts is their own decision and preference. It is not for us to comment on this. Akşener's words bind only herself."