Halil Ergün: Those who do every wrong, those who make every mistake are the ones who say they are Ataturkists

Halil Ergün made assessments regarding Turkey's recent political history, the founding process of the Republic, and the concept of Ataturkism during his appearance on the "Maksat Muhabbet" program.

Actor Ergün explained why he voted "yes" in a past constitutional referendum. Stating that he supported the regulation that paved the way for the prosecution of the September 12 coup plotters during the referendum process, Ergün said, "I saw that article; they were removing the clause that they could not be prosecuted. It was so right... Because of that 15th article, including my mother and father, I said, not 'not enough but yes' or anything, I said directly 'Yes', I mean I said it."

Stating that he defines himself as a Republican, Ergün said, "I am a Republican, I did not become a Mustafa Kemal Ataturkist or anything, my dear. I have been with those who say Gazi Mustafa Kemal and his friends, those who founded the Republic."

Responding to the host's question about why he prefers not to use the term "Ataturk" specifically, Ergün said, "He used it for about three years after the Surname Law, and he was struggling with illnesses during that period... You know, those who do every wrong, those who make every mistake are the Ataturkists..."

Ergün's statement, "In this country, those who do every wrong are the ones who say they are Ataturkists," was among the most debated remarks on social media.

Arguing that the founding process of the Republic should be understood correctly, Ergün drew attention to the historical conditions under which Mustafa Kemal emerged. Ergün said, "We are all children of an empire. I mean, it wasn't easy, Mustafa Kemal didn't just drop from the sky."

Stating that there is no disconnect between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic, the famous actor said that Turkey's history should be viewed with a holistic perspective. Ergün said, "The culture of doing these things, the discussions, developments, and parliamentary issues, with their rights and wrongs, began in the last period, the last century of the Ottoman Empire. One must look at the issue as a whole. We are the children of an empire."

Halil Ergün:
Her haltı yiyenler, her yanlışı yapanlar Atatürkçüyüm diyenler oluyorhttps://t.co/wY0dL5WokC pic.twitter.com/Fw37pbKorX

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News Source: 12punto