Ümit Özdağ reacts to CHP MP, Özgür Özel, and 'impoliteness': Walks out of live broadcast

Özdağ was a guest on the program "Kitabın Ortası" on Sözcü TV. Özdağ criticized the CHP's stance regarding the call made by MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli for PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Özdağ left the broadcast because CHP Ankara MP Umut Akdoğan was connected to the program to exercise his right of reply.

Leaving the broadcast, Özdağ stated the following:

"NO OFFICIAL FROM THE CHP CAN BE MY COUNTERPART"

As the Chairman of the Zafer Party, my only counterpart from the Republican People's Party is Özgür Özel. I am inviting Mr. Özgür to a program in front of the Turkish public solely to discuss this issue. Other than that, no official from the Republican People's Party can be my counterpart on this program. If Mr. Özgür connects, he comes, and I will speak. But other than that, I will leave the broadcast for the right of reply; let them connect and speak after that.

"OUR ISSUE IS NOT TO MAKE ANYONE HAPPY"

He can connect and speak after I leave, but I repeat; as the true party of Atatürk, the Zafer Party will continue to fight against terrorism, not negotiate with it, just as it has done until today.

And acting on the reality that this struggle is a winnable one, it is fighting to carry our Republic into its second century without compromising its founding principles.

Let no one think they are smarter or more experienced than Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the founding cadres. Let no one attempt to conduct politics by performing ethnically-centered surgeries on the state that Atatürk founded, saying, 'I will please the Kurds who vote for DEM, I will do my best until I please them.'

Our issue is not to make anyone happy. Fine, you made those who vote for DEM happy; what will you do about those who don't? If you don't want division, you will not say 'negotiation,' you will not call the PKK a party, you will not say 'non-conflict process.' If you don't want to be divided, you will call a traitor a 'traitor.'

'IMPOLITENESS TO ME AND MY PARTY'

It was stated that Umut Akdoğan would make a statement upon the determination of the CHP Headquarters. Özdağ said, "The Republican People's Party Headquarters binds the Republican People's Party. It does not bind me at all. He can connect to the broadcast after I leave and give his answer on behalf of the Republican People's Party.

I am leaving, and I offer my respects to the esteemed viewers. However, I repeat, my counterpart is not the MP determined by the 'Republican People's Party; it is its Chairman. I have his cell phone number, and he has mine. We speak when necessary.

If I am to have a counterpart on a television program, just as I do not call an MP to discuss things and it would be impolite for me to call the Chairman of the Republican People's Party without his knowledge, it is now an act of impoliteness to me and my party for a CHP MP to appear before me, and I do not accept this," he said, and left the broadcast.

News Source : 12punto