CHP Chair Özgür Özel calls out the AKP: If you are eliminating your opponent, this is not an internal affair of a country

Following the meeting, Özgür Özel and Socialist International Honorary President George Papandreou held a press conference.

Highlights from Özel's speech:

"They all know that I have reiterated Turkey's correct arguments on the international stage regarding Palestine, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan, and that I have used very careful language even on points where I disagree."

"THIS IS NOT AN INTERNAL AFFAIR OF A COUNTRY"

"You first cancel the certificate of election of an elected mayor, and when they are elected a second time, you throw them in jail. If you are slandering them by talking to secret witnesses without any evidence, and if someone whom 16 million Istanbulites have elected three times in a row is sitting in jail, if you have targeted the local election ballot today and the general election ballot tomorrow, if you are already eliminating the free and fair elections that the whole world talks about, if you are attempting a coup against the president who will come after you, and if you are eliminating your opponent, this is not an internal affair of a country."

"DELEGATION MEETINGS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED"

"Because we have not taken a step back here and because we have explained our plight to the world correctly, they are in this situation today, and the other day, I explained this from this podium with great sadness and anger. Many visits planned by the European Parliament to Turkey in April have been cancelled. The Commissioner for Enlargement came to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and cancelled the meeting he was going to have with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Delegation meetings have been cancelled. I am not happy about these; I am saddened."

"ERDOĞAN IS DROPPING TURKEY SEVERAL LEAGUES DOWN"

"Because I am digging with a needle in Turkey-EU relations. Erdoğan is closing them with a shovel. While I spend one or two days every month fighting for Turkey to be a full member of the EU and for Turkey to be on a democratic foundation, the latest steps taken by Erdoğan not only tear Turkey away from the EU but also, let alone dropping it in the world's democracy league, he is dropping it several leagues down."

"I HAD REACTED TO THEIR SILENCE"

"In recent days, I had reacted to the British Labour Party's silence in the early days; there is a statement made afterwards, in small letters and in a low voice, but it is better than the first day, which is promising. I expressed that our expectations were better and that they should be expressed in a louder voice, but after all, they are our sister party, and we expressed that we want to hear the solidarity they are likely to show from now on in a louder voice, with more determination, and from the mouth of the Prime Minister. It is a brother's reproach to a brother, and expecting brotherhood is our most natural right. I could not find it appropriate at all to ignore what Erdoğan is doing here based on the picture and equation in Syria, especially for the Socialist Labour Party, we cannot find it appropriate at all. That is why our friends who are striving for our relations to be much better are here."

News Source: 12punto