Özgür Özel’s speech in Parliament on the night of July 15 is back on the agenda

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel made statements on the anniversary of the FETÖ coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

The speech that Özel, who was the CHP Group Deputy Chairman on July 15, 2016, gave to A Haber from the TBMM podium that night has come back to the agenda.

Özel had said the following:

"Mr. Speaker, esteemed members of parliament, I greet you all with respect. As the Republican People's Party, we have been participating in elections for 93-94 years. We win, we lose. But we never lose to coup plotters, we never surrender to coup plotters.

In the last elections, our people gave the Republican People's Party the duty of being the Main Opposition Party. Until our people give another duty to the Republican People's Party through a democratic election, we are the government, we are the opposition; we are the main opposition party of Turkey and this parliament, and we are committed to democracy and the parliament to the end."

Our Chairman was in the air when this unpleasant attack, this coup attempt against democracy, took place and was heard. He landed at Atatürk Airport with a significant delay. His initial statements have been shared with the public. He cannot return at the moment because there is no air traffic. However, he is pushing all conditions to return to Ankara at the first opportunity. His instruction to us is to protect the Parliament and democracy. I greet you all with respect."

Özel described that night on a live broadcast on Habertürk as follows:

“The Parliament was closed that day. The Parliament had worked until late the day before. I left the Parliament around 17:00 in the evening. I don't have my family here; I stay in the guesthouse. While I was going to the guesthouse, a few planes passed very low. I saw a Reuters reporter who asked if I had heard the news that they had closed the bridge. That night, I sent an SMS to our group to gather at the Headquarters. We made a brief assessment there. All coups have a target; they target symbolic places. We said, 'They will besiege the Parliament, let's protect the Parliament.' We came to the Parliament. Our Chairmen were on a plane; we couldn't reach him. There were 3 parties, but the HDP also said they were not in Ankara and that they would support the declaration.

In the speech, I said we are a 100-year-old party, we do whatever duty the nation gives us. The nation gave us the duty of main opposition. I said we stand behind the elected parliament, the administrators, the government, and democracy; we stand against the coup. That night, we called on everyone from here to resist the coup. It does not matter who is carrying out the coup or why. They are acting against the nation.”

'IF YOU HAVE AN AK PARTY ACQUAINTANCE, YOU HAVE SAVED YOURSELF'

FETÖ grew like this; it is a very insidious organization. It is an organization that infiltrates and enters everywhere. In the fight against FETÖ, one must accept this; many connected individuals in the police and judiciary were removed. When it came to politicians, it stopped. When it came to the political wing of the coup, the matter was left unfinished once the relatives of high-level politicians were cleared. From now on, the incoming government must go after the political wing of FETÖ; this business will not end until they are purged from the public sector.

The President has shown a resolute stance against FETÖ, but if he is issuing instructions for a March 19 coup under the guidance of those around him; this system has not reached a result because it has eliminated checks and balances. If you have an AK Party acquaintance, you have saved yourself. That infection continues in the state.”

News Source : 12punto