Self-criticism from Özgür Özel in Hatay: 'I apologize because we could not win'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel spoke about the re-nomination of former Hatay Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Lütfü Savaş following the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. Making statements in the Defne district, Özel made a confession-like declaration. In his speech, Özel apologized for the decision regarding Hatay. 

"I AM ENGAGING IN SELF-CRITICISM"

Özel stated the following:

We know about the delays and turbulence in the candidate selection process. We agonized over it to do the right thing, to find the right result in the polls. But in the end, it means we were involved in a mistake that would lose the election; Hatay judged it this way. As the Chairman of the party, I am engaging in self-criticism in Hatay for the Hatay Metropolitan elections, for the Samandağ elections, and for all the district elections that we should have won but did not, and I offer my apologies in my capacity as Chairman.

HE GAVE HIS WORD

In the process moving forward, I promise to make Hatay a stronghold of the Republican People's Party and the apple of Turkey's eye. To Hatay, which we lost while winning across all of Turkey, we promise you all that the day we elect a Republican People's Party President in the first elections of the second century of the Republic, when this government changes, will be the day Hatay wins. I offer my love and respect to you all; we love you, and we will be together in much better days. You will win by resisting, and we are behind you until the end.