Gökhan Zan criticizes President Erdoğan and Özgür Özel

Former footballer Gökhan Zan participated in a live broadcast from his hometown of Hatay, which suffered massive destruction in the Maraş earthquake.

Journalist Barış Terkoğlu reminded Gökhan Zan of the remarks made by President and AK Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his speech in Hatay, where he asked for votes in the local elections by saying, "If the central government and local government do not join hands, if they are not in solidarity, that city will not receive anything. Did it come to Hatay?" Terkoğlu then asked Zan, "Do you think that something is being done to Hatay on purpose?"

'A PERSON SHOULD HAVE SOME COMPASSION'

"Yes, I think so clearly," Zan replied. "Because let our President call me, I am saying it here too, as a child of Hatay, let me explain what the people of Hatay want. If the people around him cannot explain it, I will. A person should have some conscience, some compassion. In this earthquake zone, one needs to carry at least a little bit of human feeling inside. Whoever this may be. No one is greater than the people."

Stating that the earthquake zone is above parties, Zan said, "May God have mercy on those who died, but we are the ones currently under the rubble, the ones who are alive. The words the President said yesterday are unacceptable. They are inhumane words. However, it is not right for other opposition parties to try to profit from this either. Don't just talk, I need action. Hatay is a place above politics, above parties. Not the AK Party, not the CHP, not the IYI Party... This is a time to embrace the people and be united."

'THERE IS NO MEDIUM FOR POLITICS IN HATAY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO POLITICS ABOUT, WE ARE DEAD'

Addressing all parties, Gökhan Zan said, "There is no medium for politics in Hatay. For God's sake, tell me, what are you going to do politics about? What are we going to do politics about? We are dead, we are in need of water. We were left in need of a tent, a piece of cloth. What am I going to do politics about? I am calling out to all members of parliament, mayors, and all parties; isn't it time to be one body? Isn't it a matter of rebuilding Hatay? Here is a chance for you, why don't you integrate? Do not take orders from anyone, show your humanity. If you cannot do it, apologize to the people, say I cannot do it, and resign."

'THE 1-YEAR PICTURE SHOWS PROFITEERING'

When asked by journalist Seyhan Avşar, "Do you think politicians are making an effort to rebuild the city, what does the 1-year picture show?", Gökhan Zan replied, "It shows profiteering. Local government, central government, whoever it is, which one did what? What did the AK Party do? What did the CHP do, they have been in local government for 10-15 years. No one should complain about anyone else. Do you know what the people expected from people, from local governments? An outcry, a rebellion, taking their troubles as their own. No one did any of these. Politicians only think about profiteering. No one thinks about the people."

Stating that the people of Hatay are looking for a third option in the local elections besides the AK Party and the CHP, and that a segment of the voters does not want to go to the polls, Gökhan Zan said, "Do you know why? Our President comes here and threatens this place. Our people here say, do you see, he is threatening us. Where were you for 10 years, brother, weren't you here, what did you do? I elected you, what are you going to do? You didn't do it for 10 years anyway. The people are fed up now."

'WHILE PEOPLE WERE GROANING UNDER THE RUBBLE, THE MAYOR DEFENDED THE CONTRACTOR'

Recalling the past statement of CHP's Hatay Metropolitan Mayor Lütfü Savaş, Zan said the following:

"What will this people not forget? There was the Renaissance Residence. Two days later, while our children were groaning under the rubble and the contractor was trying to flee abroad, you, as the mayor, say he is 'an idealistic man.' Which conscience, which morality does this fit into! I do not approve of any of it, neither what the President said nor what the metropolitan mayor said. No one should perform acrobatics over these words. He says he is staying in a container. You cannot feed this to the people of Hatay. I ask Lütfü Savaş, whose villa are you sitting in? Isn't the villa you are sitting in the one belonging to Özat, whom two of our women from Antakya caught at a mall in Ankara? I went to Mr. Özgür Özel and said, 'I am speaking as the voice of the people of Hatay; if you continue with the current mayor on this journey you set out on under the name of change, where you said we will turn our faces to the people, the people will show you the change at the ballot box.' I said this clearly and plainly. TİP Chairman Erkan Baş also said, 'Either you withdraw the current mayor and put up another candidate, and all of Hatay, all alliances unite as one body around the CHP,' but he didn't want that either. Why are you imposing a man the people don't want? We are not a pushover."

News Source: 12punto