Özgür Özel meets with Roma citizens in İzmir

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel, who is in İzmir for a series of meetings and openings, attended a gathering with Roma citizens held at the Historical Gas Factory. Speaking with a humorous tone at the opening of the event, Özel said, "We came to collect from Mayor Cemil today. He gathered us in this hall before the election. I said Mayor Cemil owes us a meal. We waited for 1 year for him to keep his promise to the Roma. Our party has been under attack for 1 year. We have only just been able to lift our heads and return to planning normal programs. The attacks are still continuing. I have been reminding him for a long time. When Chairman Çağatay took office, he asked, 'Do you have any instructions?' I said, 'Actually, we have a debt. We will sit down with the representatives of the Roma, have a meal, and see how well Mayor Cemil has kept his promise.'"

“WE DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF 86 MILLION”

Drawing attention to the potential of Roma youth in his speech, the CHP leader said, "I have heard how successful Roma youth can be when given the opportunity. We have friends who are interested in politics and are within the CHP. This table is very valuable to me. World Roma Day is next Wednesday. We will hold it with a big meeting in Istanbul. We would like to see you there. The warm relations established before I became Chairman and after I became Chairman must continue. Now, the CHP holds 28 out of 30 municipalities in İzmir locally," he said.

Describing the lack of sufficient representation of the Roma community in parliament as the biggest shortcoming of this period, Özel said, "The biggest shame of this period is that the Roma are not represented in parliament. This is true for all political parties and for us as well. As a left-wing, social democratic, egalitarian party, we are the first ones who need to remedy this deficiency. As Chairman, I have a firm will. Being with you today is very important. We are at an equal distance to our 86 million citizens," he said.

Emphasizing that they are working for the rights and freedoms of all citizens to change in a positive direction step by step, Özel included the following words:

"We think about the welfare and freedom of all our citizens. The Romani, Dom, and Abdal people are those who are equal according to the constitution in this country but complain about inequality and injustice in practice. I have a fundamental perspective. In a democracy, if a part of society says, 'I do not feel equal,' there is a problem there. It must be solved until they say, 'I feel equal.' It does not matter what their name is. If a Kurd says, 'I have an issue,' they have one. If the Roma say, 'There is discrimination,' there is. I have a fundamental perspective.

In a democracy, if a part of society says, 'I do not feel equal,' there is a problem there. It must be solved until they say, 'I feel equal.' It does not matter what their name is. If a Kurd says, 'I have an issue,' they have one. If the Roma say, 'There is discrimination,' there is. We must work until they say there is none left. This is our duty. This part of the work is extremely important."