İYİ Party leader Müsavat Dervişoğlu responds to former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu regarding 'Meral Akşener'

İYİ Party Chairman Müsavat Dervişoğlu answered questions from members of the press before the "İYİ Party Provincial Chairmen Meeting" held at a hotel in Ankara.

Making evaluations regarding the agenda, Dervişoğlu said the following regarding the dismissals in some municipalities: "As the İYİ Party, with the legislative proposal we submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on November 22, 2024, we have taken the necessary steps to preserve the democratic legitimacy of local administrations, limit the authority of trustees, and subject it to the opinion and oversight of the judiciary, and we have submitted our legislative proposal to the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. We will follow the process with determination and will continue to defend the national will always and everywhere."

Recalling that former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu made statements that drew public attention in the court where he appeared regarding the legal process conducted against him, Dervişoğlu noted the following:

"If you ask me, it is not an appropriate practice at all for the chairmen of political parties, who have an important place in our democratic history, to be tried due to their rhetoric and depending on the complaints of their political rivals. The statements regarding the allegations that led to his trial are, of course, at Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's own discretion. However, I would have hoped and expected him to speak much more carefully about the periods left behind. Just as the present and future of the İYİ Party are ours, its past and history are also ours. I strongly reject and condemn his statements that cast suspicion on a significant segment of society and directly target our Founding Chairwoman, Ms. Meral Akşener. We make our own evaluations and self-criticisms regarding the processes we have experienced with our authorized bodies, and we determine our roadmap for the future with our own will."

Saying, "There is no need to say too much," Dervişoğlu continued as follows:

"Since the day the President began to be elected by popular vote, it is Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu himself who made Mr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu the presidential candidate in 2014, Mr. Muharrem İnce in 2018, and himself in 2023, and who was instrumental in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan winning the election. Furthermore, we did not offer a candidate to the Republican People's Party from outer space, nor did we propose a candidate through bargaining. I would like to remind you that stirring up old books does not benefit anyone. I would also like to remind you that when there is a fight in your own house, picking a fight with the neighbor's house does not bring you any benefit. A congress is lost, someone else is responsible; an election is lost, someone else is responsible again. Such an evaluation is not conscientious. A person should also look for fault and responsibility in themselves a little bit. There is a lot to be said, but yesterday also has a memory. Therefore, as a final word, I say: accusing others is not self-defense, Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu."

Speaking about the sword-crossing incident at the Military Academy Graduation and Flag Handover Ceremony, Dervişoğlu gave the following response:

"I am not in a position to make an evaluation based on the investigation and administrative inquiry conducted. I have clearly and plainly stated my views on the subject. I do not believe that the lieutenants committed a crime that would necessitate their dismissal due to the act they performed during the process we are going through. Therefore, everyone in Turkey needs morale right now, and staying away from steps that are likely to lower morale is primarily among the duties of this government. I express that we will stand by our lieutenants to the end."

Dervişoğlu said that it should be observed how the investigation regarding the process will be conducted.