Hikmet Çetin speaks out on Özgür Özel and Kılıçdaroğlu! 'They are making a mistake, I will tell them both...'

The lawsuit filed to cancel the 38th Ordinary Congress, where Özgür Özel was elected chairman of the CHP, and the 21st Extraordinary Congress, was heard at the Ankara 42nd Civil Court of First Instance on Monday, September 15.

Announcing its interim decision, the court rejected the request for the precautionary removal of CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, as well as the members of the Party Assembly (PM) and the Central Executive Board (MYK), and adjourned the next hearing to October 24.

Hikmet Çetin had previously used the expression, "I believe Mr. Kemal is in contact with those at the highest level regarding 'absolute nullity'," concerning Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who had maintained his silence regarding the party congress lawsuit process.

Following the adjournment decision in the congress lawsuit, Çetin called Kılıçdaroğlu and apologized to the former CHP leader for those remarks. Çetin stated that Kılıçdaroğlu replied, "Your call and your words are valuable. I was also against the 'normalization' process."

Hikmet Çetin most recently spoke about the ongoing process to Yavuz Donat, a columnist for the pro-government newspaper Sabah.

Yavuz Donat reported that Çetin said, "Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Özgür Özel must come together... It is essential that they talk one-on-one... I will tell them both."

Speaking about the congress lawsuit, which was adjourned to October 24, Çetin said, "Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is making a mistake... He should invite Özgür Özel... He should say, 'Mr. Özgür, let us do this together... Let us overcome this painful process together.'"

Noting that there is a good atmosphere in the party following the CHP's Tandoğan rally and that Özgür Özel is very hardworking, Çetin said, "In the Republican People's Party, for today, the atmosphere is very good... Mr. Özgür is very hardworking... He cannot sit still."

Çetin also stated that he would meet with Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the near future.