Özgür Özel's first comment on claims of a rift in the People's Alliance: 'Is a protest that doesn't happen in Parliament happening at Anıtkabir...?'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel answered questions from journalists after Friday prayers at the Istanbul Çamlıtepe Central Mosque.

Özgür Özel made his first comments regarding the "Bahçeli-Erdoğan" crisis, which arose after MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli did not attend the October 29 Republic Day ceremony at Anıtkabir or the reception at the Presidential Palace.

Özgür Özel stated the following:

Everyone can make political comments about the issue of not attending the visit and subsequently not going to the presidential complex. That is not my job.

I approached the Nationalist Movement Party delegation at Anıtkabir. Mr. Celal Adan, our deputy speaker of parliament, was also there. I asked about Mr. Bahçeli. They said they would not be able to attend today.

I am pleased to learn that there is nothing to worry about regarding his health. Other than that, if that is a message, and the other is a message, I do not want to be occupied with the rifts of the People's Alliance while we have so many of our own troubles and concerns with the AK Party.

Let them solve their own problems. But let me say this: on one hand, there is a lot of commentary. Names close to the AK Party are saying this rift should be resolved before it grows, that the message should be received, and so on.

You know, friends, the President comes to the opening of Parliament, makes a speech, and leaves. It is an area allocated to him. We have no right to speak. We listened last year. We have been under attack for a year; war has been declared.

When we didn't go there, they said, "Can there be a protest in Parliament?"

WHEN WE DIDN'T GO THERE, THEY SAID 'CAN THERE BE A PROTEST IN PARLIAMENT?'

Is a protest that doesn't happen in Parliament happening at Anıtkabir, friends? To those who criticized us for not going to listen to the speech of the last President, the partisan President, in the place where he was, let the public ask those who see not going to Anıtkabir or not going to the President's reception as a legitimate protest, or those on the AK Party side who say let's get the message, or those who do this as a protest.

We did not see the need to listen to the political evaluations that a mortal, the last President, the President who is alive, would make in Turkish in Parliament.

They say, "Can there be a protest like this?" right? Well, is not going to Anıtkabir a protest now? Is not going to the presidential complex a protest? Let them sit down and evaluate this themselves, don't keep us busy with it. We are looking ahead. We all woke up this morning as Republican People's Party members with the morale and motivation of being one day closer to our government than we were last night. We are just beginning. They have reached the end. Thank you, friends. Thank you. Thanks.