Özgür Özel: 'No pressure can shake the foundations of the Republic'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel wrote an article for Cumhuriyet newspaper on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the Republic.

"The foundation of the Republic is so strong that no pressure can shake it!" In his article, Özel emphasized that democracy based on the national will is Atatürk's most important legacy.

"WE ARE GRATEFUL TO ATATÜRK, THE ARCHITECT OF OUR INDEPENDENCE"

Özel included the following statements in his article:

"We are celebrating the 102nd anniversary of the Republic of Turkey—the 'protector of the unprotected,' which our founder Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk entrusted to us, calling it his 'greatest work'—with great pride and enthusiasm.

The founding cadres of our Republic first saved our country from enemy occupation, secured our independence, and then brought our citizens, who were previously seen as subjects, together in equal citizenship. Our young Republic achieved great economic development in a short time; revolutions were signed in the political, legal, and social fields. Thanks to this, the Republic of Turkey has been an inspiration to oppressed nations in its region."

"THE BALLOT BOX IS ATATÜRK'S LEGACY"

CHP leader Özel stated that the will of the people lies at the foundation of the Republic, saying, "In our Republic, sovereignty has been unconditionally handed over to the nation. Subsequently, Turkey, rising on the will of the people, has been exalted by a democratic system where different political parties compete freely. Atatürk's party, the Republican People's Party, has conducted politics throughout its political life by respecting the preferences of the nation. The ballot box is a legacy to us from Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and our founding cadres."

Reminding that the CHP has gone through many periods of pressure in the past, Özel used the following expressions:

"Our party has gone through many coups and periods of pressure. Our chairmen have been arrested, our party has been closed down, and its assets have been seized. There have been days when the Republican People's Party received the authority to govern the country with the nation's appreciation, and days when it could not come to power alone for 47 years. However, our party has never believed in any power other than the will of the nation."

"NO PRESSURE CAN SHAKE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE REPUBLIC"

Özel stated that Turkey is under heavy attack today:

"Today, on the 102nd anniversary of our Republic, we are under a heavy attack on its founding philosophy and its understanding of the rule of law. We are experiencing a civil coup process where the justice mechanism is instrumentalized and the national will is ignored.

However, the foundations of our Republic are so strong that no oppressive regime, no conspiracy, can shake the independence and freedom-loving character of our nation. As in our history, no power that wants to stay in power by resorting to undemocratic means has ever succeeded, and it will not succeed from now on either."

"POLARIZATION AND MARGINALIZATION MUST END"

Giving unifying messages in his article, Özel made a call with the following expressions:

"The only power that will lead our country out of this darkness is the unshakeable will of our nation and the spirit of consensus at the founding of our Republic. We are aiming for and working towards a Turkey governed by the principles of democracy and the rule of law, where polarization and marginalization have ended, and where justice prevails in income, in the courts, and in social life.

With these feelings and beliefs, I commemorate all our martyrs, especially Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades-in-arms, with respect and mercy, and I celebrate the October 29 Republic Day of all our citizens."

News Source: 12punto