Ilber Ortayli's first statement regarding the wedding he attended: 'Indigestion'

Berna Osmanoglu, one of the descendants of the Ottoman dynasty living in Turkey, got married at a ceremony held in Istanbul. 

In addition to the couple's parents, relatives, and close friends, famous figures also attended the ceremony, which took place at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's Beykoz Social Facility. While the speech by former Welfare Party member Sevki Yilmaz targeting Ataturk became a hot topic, Ilber Ortayli, who was among the guests, was criticized for remaining indifferent to what was happening.

Following the reactions, Ortayli made a post on his social media account. Ilber Ortayli stated the following:

"I attended the invitation mentioned in the press today on the occasion of a wedding. I neither interfere with who is invited nor do I know those sitting at the tables.

It is impossible for me to approve of the inappropriate remarks made by a former member of parliament during the wedding ceremony. I expressed my discomfort when it was my turn to speak. These are words that befit coffeehouse corners, not people who know history. 

It is an open hostility toward Ataturk, an indigestion. I am not among those who believe that historical curiosity or even ideology carries weight behind the activities of these sharp-witted people who attempt to bicker with Ataturk, the Republic, and the commanders of the War of Independence; the motives are different. 

Bickering with the institutions and great figures of Turkish history, that is, appearing with a destructive nationalism, is a phenomenon peculiar to us and some other societies. If anyone can comfortably express their opinions in this country today, it is thanks to Ataturk and his comrades-in-arms. 

When you compare Turkey with the states around it, you see what a great job those who entrusted this homeland to us under the leadership of Ataturk accomplished. It is our duty to keep the Republic standing and to protect it. If we do not keep it standing, if we destroy it, some people must finally understand that we have nowhere else to go.

News Source: 12punto