Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) Chairman Erkan Baş, regarding İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay pinning on an AKP badge, stated: "They lose at the ballot box, they cannot win the hearts of the people, they cannot get the people's vote, they get slapped by the people; then they seize what they do not deserve, sometimes through extortion, sometimes with the threat of a court, sometimes with the fear of prison, sometimes with blackmail, sometimes with bribery."
Baş noted the following:
"One of the people responsible for the festive atmosphere in the AKP today is Cemil Tugay, who joined the AKP. This friend was not the AKP's candidate when he was elected Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. Did the people of İzmir go to the polls and say 'Let the AKP govern İzmir'? No. The one wearing the badge knows it, the one pinning the badge knows it; millions of people watching this are also aware of this situation. Do you really think the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality or İzmir is a company? You bought a share from there, hop, this place passed to you; we paid the money, we bought İzmir... Such a thing cannot be, this is not possible.
İzmir is the latest example, but this government is systematically carrying out such an activity: It loses at the ballot box, it cannot win the hearts of the people, it cannot get the people's vote, it gets slapped by the people; then it seizes what it does not deserve, sometimes through extortion, sometimes with the threat of a court, sometimes with the fear of prison, sometimes with blackmail, sometimes with bribery. And then, the democratic AKP. And then, the Justice and Development Party that gives democracy lessons to the opposition. I want to address the citizens who vote for the AKP: How do you stomach this? Most recently in the Adalar, in Üsküdar, and today in İzmir, you are seizing municipalities with these operations, with court operations, by buying people, by intimidating them.
"WOULD SOMEONE WHO EXTORTS THE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO VOTE NOT STEAL THE PEOPLE'S MONEY?"
We already knew that Cemil Tugay was an AKP supporter. Today, this has been registered and made official. We already said this when municipal workers in İzmir went on strike for their rights. When we said this, a choir was emerging saying, 'Let's not do this, it will benefit the AKP, let's not criticize Mayor Cemil.' There are Trojan horses that have infiltrated the opposition, there are AKP supporters who have infiltrated the opposition, and if you want to distinguish them, you have a litmus paper: What is their relationship with the working class?
To steal, to extort a mayor elected by the people's votes—no matter how, through bribery, threats, or promises—and to include them in your own party; this is theft. Now the question is: Is an understanding that considers bending and twisting the will of the people for its own political interests a reliable understanding when it comes to the people's money? In other words, would someone who extorts the people's right to vote and be voted for not steal the people's money?
"NO ONE SHOULD TRY TO PULL THE GOVERNMENT TO A POINT OF IRRESPONSIBILITY"
There is perhaps one of the biggest theft, biggest corruption, and biggest wealth transfer events of the last 100 years in Turkey, and the names of Justice and Development Party deputy chairmen are mentioned in this, the names of people currently serving as ministers are mentioned, former ministers and deputy ministers are mentioned. A choir has started, and the same thing is being reflected in the AKP group just now. What is it, sir? Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will hold them accountable. Tayyip Erdoğan did not see, did not hear, does not know... If that is the case, it is very dire."
He knew but could not prevent it, he did not have the power. If he knows and could not intervene, if he did not have the power, it is very dire. And the most dire thing is, what will we do if he knew and turned a blind eye? That is why I ask Mr. Erdoğan clearly and plainly: One, did you not see? Two, you saw, but did you not have the power? Three, you saw, you knew, and did you stay silent? There is no other possibility. Therefore, no one should try to pull the government to a point of irresponsibility regarding this issue, no one should try to save the government. I say, come out before the nation and give the answer. I mean, a few rotten apples have entered, we will remove those rotten apples, we will throw them away, we will get rid of them... No, the basket is rotten. The basket is rotten. The basket is rotten."
"THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE MUST RESIGN"
Is there anyone among you who believes that a mechanism headed by the Minister of Justice can conduct an independent trial here? I am not saying 'The Minister of Justice is guilty, he did this, he did that.' For this investigation, for this trial process to be carried out healthily, the Minister of Justice must resign, he must be dismissed. I say the same for the CMB (Capital Markets Board). I say the same for the Central Bank. I say the same for the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.
That is why, in this country, even fate is now class-based. I mean, one person's child goes down into a mine, another person's child joins the board of directors in this country. One person's child cannot pay their student loan debt, is left at the mercy of religious sect dormitories, and is dragged to death there; another person's child, thanks to their uncle, aunt, or aunt, finds a seat in the most lucrative public institutions where they can live comfortably. One person's child cannot find a job, another person's child gets a tender. Then we are all in the same boat. Forget it, what same boat? We are socialists precisely because we do not accept this injustice.
We do not want bulletproof backpacks or anything for our children; we want safe schools. We want free, scientific, quality education. We want our children to be fed at school, to be able to drink water. When a child goes to school, their family thinks, 'Will my child be able to eat today at school?', 'Will my child be able to return home from school in a healthy and safe way?', and these two are the most basic obligations of the state. Look at what we are asking from the state: Let our children be fed, and let them have safety of life. These are what we ask from the state.
"EVERYONE SHOULD READ THE KAHRAMAN VERDICT"
I want everyone who is literate and interested in law, everyone, to read this decision made by the Constitutional Court regarding Tayfun Kahraman, I want them to read this decision published in the Official Gazette yesterday.
The decision taken regarding Tayfun Kahraman is binding for all Gezi prisoners. The decision taken regarding Can Atalay, the ECHR decision regarding Osman Kavala, the decisions regarding Çiğdem that have not been implemented to date; all of them must be implemented as soon as possible. It is of such a nature that it leaves no room for discussion."
News Source: 12punto
