CHP's 59th 'Defending the National Will' rally in Bolu: AKP government is not good for women, children, or nature

The latest in the series of rallies held by the CHP for the 59th time took place in front of the Bolu Governor's Office.

Thousands of citizens filling the square held a moment of silence in memory of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the martyrs before the rally.

Following the moment of silence, the citizens recited the National Anthem in unison.

CRITICAL STATEMENTS FROM ÖZGÜR ÖZEL

"Today we have come to Bolu, the land of heroes; we are in Bolu, with its ancient history, fertile soil, and courageous people. We are in a process where there are many difficulties, but hope has not vanished, and thanks to you, hope remains alive. We are in Bolu, we are in the square, we are in action, and we are grateful to you for filling the squares," said CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, beginning his speech and addressing the citizens as follows:

"Greetings to those who filled the streets leading to the square, who crossed the security checkpoints, and who, instead of going home, to their children, spouses, parents, or loved ones at this hour on the last day of the week, filled this place to struggle shoulder to shoulder! Well done!"

"Whenever Bolu is mentioned, a Bey of Bolu is remembered, and Köroğlu is remembered. I look at the issue, at the tyrants of today. What does it take to be a Bey of Bolu? To be a Bey of Bolu, you need a wicked heart and a rifle. But to be Köroğlu, to be Köroğlu, you need a Köroğlu, a Kırat (his horse), and the nation behind you, the nation, the nation behind you. While there are tens of thousands, thousands behind you, while we are shoulder to shoulder, while we are all together with Bolu, let those who hope for benefit from that evil be ashamed and embarrassed. We are determined to struggle, to resist, and to succeed all together with good, courageous, and honorable people. We believe in this with all our hearts."

"A feature of the Bolu Rally is that we usually go to rallies with our deputy chairmen, party assembly members, and deputies. But today in Bolu, we are at full strength. We are among you, by your side, and in your presence with all the deputies of the Republican People's Party. I thank our group and my deputies, each one more valuable than the other, who are struggling in parliament in this difficult process, struggling in the field, fighting chest-to-chest against attacks, running to the scene when assigned, rushing to their hometowns, and shielding their ancestral homes during attacks, in your presence."

"AKP GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOOD FOR WOMEN, CHILDREN, OR NATURE"

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel stated that the AKP government is not good for anyone and continued his speech as follows:

"This government is not good for women, it is not good for children, it is not good for nature, and unfortunately, it is not good for the forests either. Between 2004 and 2024, an average of 788 fires broke out, and unfortunately, Bolu lost as much forest last year as it had in the last 20 years. Of course, when fires occur, there is talk of firefighting planes and helicopters.

To those who say that if there were three more large planes, this fire would have been brought under control immediately, I only remind them of this: With the money they confessed to spending on the March 19 coup attempt, saying 'We kept the reserves for these days, we burned them these days,' they could have bought not three, but 3,000 firefighting planes. It is possible to see the harm they have done to the country from this perspective as well. Our Bolu deputies have been talking about the betrayal committed against the Gerede Stream, which stretches from Bolu to Karabük, until they are blue in the face for years. There is a 350-fold increase in pollution. Paradise Bolu is struggling with wild mining.

We hear Mengen's voice on this issue. We hear the struggle regarding the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) process there. We are behind the struggle against mining, against wild mining in Mengen, to the end. We are by Mengen's side to the end."

"THEY HID THE REAL FIGURE AND HAPPILY PINNED ON BADGES"

Continuing his remarks by criticizing the AKP's policy regarding the Bolu Grand Kartal Hotel fire, in which 78 people tragically lost their lives, Özgür Özel said:

"The most unpleasant topic of this pleasant, beautiful evening is undoubtedly the Kartalkaya fire. Unfortunately, we lost 78 of our lives, 36 of whom were babies and children.

Turkey's heart burned, and Bolu's heart burned the most. While we were canceling all our programs that day and rushing here, some were hiding the death toll, keeping it at 6 or 10, and trying not to announce it until they pinned on badges at the Ankara Provincial Congress. At 9:15 in the morning, Mayor Tanju, our deputy, and our provincial chairman said the real figure was over 60, but they hid the figure until the Ankara Provincial Congress was over. They happily pinned on badges.

"Mayor Tanju said the real figure was over 60, but they happily pinned on badges. They saw that the expert committee, the special provincial administration, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Ministry of Labor were all speaking. They took the expert report and said, 'Remove the ministry from here.' We want such issues to be handled above politics. But with the work they did that day, with bringing in committees from outside, the head of the chamber at the Council of State had his heart broken, everyone's lips were trembling while listening."

"The families who have served the AKP also had their hearts broken. The common demand is: do not protect anyone. They are still protecting the main responsible minister, shame on them! From Soma to Kartalkaya... Those cases will be retried, and justice will be served."

"TÜİK, THE STATISTICAL INSTITUTE THAT DOES NOT UPSET TAYYİP"

Drawing attention to the increase in economic difficulties following the March 19 operations, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel also touched upon the inflation figures announced today and continued his speech:

"Inflation figures were announced today. According to TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute), inflation is 3.2% monthly and 33% annually, but the real inflation measured by ENAG is 63% annually. There is a half-and-half difference. Unfortunately, this half-and-half difference comes out of the retiree's pension, the raise the minimum wage earner will receive, and the civil servant's salary.

"Calculations are made according to TÜİK. You know the initials of TÜİK stand for the 'Statistical Institute that does not upset Tayyip,' but on the other side, on the other side, poverty is reaching an unbearable point. Look, today, according to the figure announced last week, the official poverty line has become 91,000 liras."

"WE HAVE LEFT THE ERA OF OPPOSING THE OPPOSITION BEHIND"

Addressing the reactions shown to the chairmen of the DEM, Gelecek, DEVA, and Yeniden Refah parties, who gave friendly images with President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the opening reception held in the Turkish Grand National Assembly in recent days, Özel stated that "We have left the era of opposing the opposition behind" and that the main reaction should be directed at the government.

MESSAGE FROM EKREM İMAMOĞLU TO BOLU

The letter written from Silivri by CHP's presidential candidate and imprisoned Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Ekrem İmamoğlu, was read by CHP Bolu Provincial Chairman Tahsin Mert Karagöz.

İmamoğlu's letter was as follows:

“I have missed you very much. Since March 19, you have been defending your country, your freedom, the law, and democracy. You are multiplying square by square, growing city by city. Just like the patriots who stood up during the years of the national struggle, today you are standing up for the future of our country, for the guarantee of our right to vote and be elected, for justice, equality, and freedom. This square is the square of resistance. This square is the square of the grandchildren of Köroğlu, the symbol of resistance. This square is the square of the nation. I offer my heartfelt thanks to our Bolu Mayor, Mr. Tanju Özcan, who has won the love of the people of Bolu filling this square and works to serve Bolu, and to CHP Bolu Provincial Chairman Mr. Tahsin Mert Karagöz.”

“THOSE WHO KEEP US IN DUNGEONS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE NATION”

“Those who keep us in dungeons, those who prevent us from our desire to serve our nation, have a problem with the nation. This government, which spends all the resources of the state to protect its own seat, has a problem with the nation. A handful of people are committing all kinds of lawlessness, all kinds of evil so that what the nation says does not happen, so that the national will is not manifested freely. It usurps the free right of its citizens to vote and prevents them from their right to be elected. Nations whose free right to vote has been usurped mean that they have been imprisoned in their own homeland. We, as a nation, will never allow such captivity, such dishonor, and we will not allow it. With our spirit of struggle coming from our glorious history, we will defend the gains of the Republic to the end. Our nation will also defend its will. Because, whatever the nation says, that happens. This is the Republic. We do not accept, nor does our nation accept, those who cannot digest the Republic and democracy, those who cannot accept the will of the nation.

We are a nation that has lived free since time immemorial. We will stand tall, shoulder to shoulder, against those who try to put chains on our necks and bow our heads. Our struggle is, above all, a struggle for justice and freedom. We set out to ensure justice and freedom not only for ourselves, but for everyone and everywhere. At this irreversible point we have reached, we will make justice and freedom prevail in our country unconditionally. We will ensure justice in taxes, in government offices, in schools, in hospitals, in the streets, in the squares, on the beaches, in the fields, in the factories. We will ensure justice for farmers, producers, and entrepreneurs. We will ensure justice for retirees and employees. We will ensure justice for women, youth, and children. We will build a state that rises on the foundation of justice and knows its limits before the citizen. We will make the state the guarantor of the rights and freedoms of everyone, without exception.”

“OUR HISTORY IS THE HISTORY OF THOSE WHO DO NOT BOW TO TYRANNY”

“We will wage a great struggle against mafia-style politics, against all organizations that are tutelary, opportunistic, partisan, and that ignore the will of the nation. No power can bring to their knees the self-confident, heartily connected citizens of a country where justice and freedom prevail for everyone, everywhere. Our history is the history of those who do not bow to tyranny. We will end these tyrannies, we will disperse this great darkness. Turkey will be a country of justice, freedom, prosperity, abundance, and blessings. Turkey will be a country of happy and free people who live without fear of the future and who do not know what it is to struggle for a living. Everything will be very beautiful. Ekrem İmamoğlu. Silivri Dungeon.”

News Source: 12punto