Breaking News: Özgür Özel gives Akın Gürlek a 1-week deadline! 'If he doesn't disclose it, I will...'

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel is delivering a speech at his party's regular parliamentary group meeting held at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). The meeting is taking place in the CHP Group Hall at the Parliament.

In addition to CHP deputies, numerous mayors, as well as provincial and district administrators, attended the group meeting. Party officials and guests followed the meeting from the hall.

Our Chairman Özgür Özel is speaking at our party's parliamentary group meeting.https://t.co/BpLmRvxhBf

— CHP ???? (@herkesicinCHP) February 17, 2026

The highlights from Özel's remarks are as follows:

"After an intense work week, we are all together under the roof of our Parliament. We held our 88th protest in the Adalar district of Istanbul and our 89th in Milas, Muğla, with the highest participation in history, great enthusiasm, a strong spirit of struggle, and hope for the future. Tomorrow evening, we will all be together in Ataşehir, Istanbul, for the 39th night rally and protest across 39 districts. I invite the people of Istanbul and Ataşehir to contribute to that historic evening and to stand up."

"90-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHERS AND GRANDFATHERS ARE RESISTING IN AKBELEN ALONGSIDE THEIR YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN"

We embraced the people of Akbelen who have been resisting for their nature for years. We were in Milas on Sunday and were with the people of Akbelen. We were in Akbelen, where mining licenses have been granted in a way that will massacre millions of olive trees, for the sake of greed for money, to keep a promise made to a crony—in a place where that crony firm says, 'We are not after the mining license; they promised us a place worth so many billions of liras, and they are not keeping it. Let them give us our money, and we will withdraw and leave.'

I expressed it there, and let me express it once again here: Those who watch crony channels, those who watch TRT—whose salaries are paid with all of our taxes but which has become the voice of the government, ignoring the opposition, ignoring the villagers, ignoring the environmentalists, and ignoring the resistance against the massacre—might think: Someone is shouting and yelling in Akbelen, what are they doing? They might not know.

In Akbelen, the villagers—90-year-old grandmothers and grandfathers with canes in their hands—are resisting alongside their young grandchildren. The reason is the mining license granted to the world's most beautiful geography and the expansion of that license, which will lead to millions of trees being cut down again. How can this be done? It cannot be done while the olive tree is standing; the law protects it.

"IT EXPECTS THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO MAKE A DECISION IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW, REASON, AND CONSCIENCE"

They came here and passed a law. They gave the coordinates of Akbelen and said, 'We have given this place.' When it became a law, and when the law conflicted with other laws, they took advantage of the opportunity and said, 'Well, this place has been granted, let's start cutting it down.' The people of Akbelen are resisting this. We took this law to the Constitutional Court. It is waiting before the Constitutional Court. While it waits before the Constitutional Court, my teary-eyed aunts, grandmothers, and uncles from Akbelen are waiting for news from the Constitutional Court.

Over 100 different plant species and over 200 animal and bird species in the forests of Akbelen have pricked up their ears, waiting for the Constitutional Court to make a decision in accordance with law, reason, and conscience. On one hand, we are waiting for the Constitutional Court to discuss this law as soon as possible and, undoubtedly, to stop this law which is clearly unconstitutional.

Will it do it? It will most likely be done. Because no one with a conscience, fairness, or literacy would remain silent in the face of such a massacre, and we hope the members of the Constitutional Court will not either. But there are those in a hurry on one side. For what? To cut down the trees, to kill the squirrels and birds, to scrape that beautiful Akbelen bare like a pumpkin and take the ore underneath, to extract the coal. So, is this the company's hurry? No, it is more Tayyip Bey's hurry.

"I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN TO OUR NATION"

Look, almost since the day this country was founded, there has been authority granted to the Council of Ministers and the President. It says: authority for urgent expropriation. In very urgent matters concerning national defense and national security, or in states of emergency, a decision for urgent expropriation can be made by the President; all other procedures, excluding price appraisal, are carried out afterward. Do you know what this is? An enemy army is approaching from across the border. You need a place to defend the country, and someone says, 'Uncle, this is my field, you cannot enter.' This is the 'Uncle, take the money and step aside' clause. Take the money and step aside. Why? For national security and national defense.

This authority is the kind of authority to be used during the Cyprus Peace Operation or similar events. This authority is for when our lands are under threat, or there is a hill where anti-aircraft missiles to protect Turkey can only be placed, and someone says, 'I won't give it, I won't sell it.' Time is short, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan used this 'take the money and step aside' authority—this constitutional, this sacred, this very rare, this very exceptional authority—before the Constitutional Court could strike it down, saying, 'Give the money, let them step aside, let the pro-government company cut down the trees.' Let everyone hear, let everyone know that Erdoğan used this granted authority so that a company could cut down all the olive trees before an AYM (Constitutional Court) ruling could be issued, so that the donkey dies and the partnership ends. For this reason, I am complaining about Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to our nation here, and I am saying to the Constitutional Court: every day you delay means animals dying, trees being cut down, vegetation disappearing, and nature being plundered; please hurry up.

"WE ARE FACING A PLUNDER ATTEMPT THAT HAS OPENED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO MINING LICENSES"

While 1,360 mining licenses were issued throughout the 80-year history of the Republic, they have issued 365,000 in the last 20 years; that is 365 times more mining licenses in one-fourth of the time. We are facing a frenzy. We are facing a plunder attempt that has opened 70-80% of Ordu and Giresun, and 65% of Muğla to mining licenses, opening the most beautiful places to mining licenses.

"MURAT KURUM HAS ALWAYS DENIED HIS RESPONSIBILITY IN THE ILİÇ DISASTER"

Our esteemed guests, unfortunately, four days before our group meeting, February 13, 2024, marked the five-month anniversary of the Erzincan İliç mining disaster. We lost 9 of our workers in a horrific way. In that disaster, too, they had increased the capacity for the sake of greed, so that the mining company could make more money. And people had said, 'A disaster is coming here.' They did not listen. The officially piled-up mining heap slid, the mountain slid, and it destroyed and swallowed our 9 workers. Families were only able to reach their bodies months later. The legal struggle there continues. There is a court hearing in Erzincan today. Our Deputy Chairman, Party Assembly members, and deputies are there; they are supporting that legal struggle at the Erzincan Courthouse.

"THE BLOOD OF ILİÇ IS ON MURAT KURUM'S HANDS"

From here, the AK Party's corrupt order—the one that prefers miners over squirrels in Akbelen—is the primary culprit for what happened in İliç today. Remember; Murat Kurum, the minister at the time, later went to Istanbul to become the AK Party's candidate there, only to be defeated by Ekrem İmamoğlu by a margin of over 1 million 150 thousand votes; the people of Istanbul said, 'We saw what you did to İliç, what business do you have in Istanbul? Take your hands off Istanbul,' and dismissed Murat Kurum. That same Murat Kurum has always denied his responsibility in the İliç disaster. And look, look now at what Murat Kurum says: 'I have no responsibility, I did not increase the capacity, what does it have to do with me?'... The second capacity increase that led to the disaster... The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared for the second capacity increase and the flotation plant project was accepted within the scope of the EIA regulation. 'I submit to your appreciation and approval the matter of issuing the 'EIA Positive' decision for the project in question, should it be deemed appropriate by your offices.' Signed: Approved... Murat Kurum. The blood of İliç is on Murat Kurum's hands. The blood of İliç is on the hands of the AK Party's corrupt order, my friends.

"MURAT KURUM IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR İLİÇ! HE IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE INCOMPETENCE"

Dear friends, dear guests; this Murat Kurum, this Murat Kurum, who is now being praised and hyped up by those who did not let the army out in the earthquake zone for the first three days, those who could not distribute tents even on the 33rd day after criticizing the 1999 government for not having tents for three days, those who made the Red Crescent sell tents while the people were waiting in line for them, and those who promised to deliver houses in one year but haven't even delivered 2% of them in a year, and who are now trying to tell a success story after reaching 70% at the end of 3 years—this Murat Kurum is also responsible for İliç. He is also responsible for all the incompetence.

"RESPONSE TO BAHÇELİ ON 'POLITICAL HONOR'"

Finally, today Mr. Devlet Bahçeli spoke about the earthquake zone—and what a good job we did, our entire group went together and conducted a major study in the earthquake zone, and what did we uncover?—that they intend to charge interest on some of the earthquake houses that were supposed to be provided interest-free, that they intend to charge interest on the shops built in the earthquake zone, and that they are making people sign blank promissory notes for the houses... We said this, we said this. Why did we say it? Our Hatay deputies said: 'Hurry, come here, they are making people sign blank promissory notes.' Our Malatya, Kahramanmaraş, and Gaziantep deputies said: 'It is true, they don't give the keys to those who don't sign the promissory note.'

We carried out 55 studies in six days. We visited container cities. We listened to those who received houses and those who couldn't. We saw the blank promissory note and said: 'Making people sign a blank promissory note is the work of a loan shark; don't do this. You don't give the keys to those who cross out the interest; announce that you will not charge interest and tear up the blank promissory notes.' They told so many lies, they beat around the bush so much on their own television channels that I followed it with sadness. Mr. Bahçeli said today, 'Saying that they are making citizens who have received their homes sign blank promissory notes is not only a slander but a delusion that contradicts political honor.'

Mr. Bahçeli, there are very harsh answers to be given to this within politics; I will not say a word, I will not say a word. Take this, take this: 'Disaster Indebtedness Note.' Article 1 Definitions, Article 2 Debt Amount: 'To the bank, a total of dot dot dot TL, I acknowledge that I am indebted for this amount alone... Debtor's declaration: I accept to pay contractual interest at the rate of dot dot dot, and that the debt to the bank has a maturity of dot dot dot years.' The keys are not given until the signature is placed.

If there is slander here, it is with Murat Kurum. If there is defamation here, it is with Murat Kurum. If there is a delusion, it is the name of the politics of your own person, who believes them because they are 'my alliance partner' and does not go and ask a single earthquake victim. Here you go!

If the Republican People's Party is engaging in politics, making a criticism, or saying something, one foot of the Republican People's Party is at this podium and the other is in Hatay. One foot is in Gaziantep, in İslahiye, in Nurdağı, in Adıyaman, in Yaylakonak. And if the Republican People's Party says something, it says it from the heart, from the field, not with empty talk like Murat Kurum.

I am not expecting an apology from Mr. Bahçeli for these remarks, as he is our elder. I am expecting an apology call from Mr. Murat Kurum to Bahçeli, saying, 'I am sorry, I put you in this position.' Murat Kurum should call Mr. Bahçeli.

"I WILL EITHER MAKE YOU TEAR UP ALL THOSE BLANK PROMISSORY NOTES, OR I WILL TEAR THEM UP ONCE WE ARE IN POWER"

Let me tell you what will happen, do you know what will happen? As long as we stand tall, as long as we are in the square, as long as we are in the field, as long as they are the ones causing the people's troubles and we are the ones listening to the troubles, promising to solve them, and working for them to be solved, they will continue to take steps back like this. They announced they would not charge interest. Now they say, 'There will be small amounts, and so on.' 71 billion dollars have been collected from this nation's taxes and donations. 40 billion liras went to homes, may it be well-deserved; I will either make you tear up all those blank promissory notes, or I will tear them up once we are in power.

"WE LOST 29 OF OUR LIVES IN THE TERROR ATTACK ON THE MILITARY PERSONNEL SHUTTLE IN MERASİM STREET"

Unfortunately, today is also the 10th anniversary of another tragedy. We were in the General Assembly of the Parliament in 2016 and were startled by the sound of an explosion. Unfortunately, we lost 29 of our lives in the terror attack on the military personnel shuttle right nearby, on Merasim Street. We commemorate all our martyrs with mercy once again. The cherished memories of our martyrs who gave their lives for our country belong to us, they are entrusted to us; their families are entrusted to this noble nation and the state.

"IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES HERE, WHERE WILL YOU ALLOCATE THEM?"

Last week, associations for families of martyrs—and to date, our Deputy Chairman Yankı Bağcıoğlu, our deputies, and our party assembly members have visited 205 families of martyrs and veterans' associations across the four corners of Turkey without discrimination, and they continue to do so—last week, the top three structures representing all families of martyrs and veterans' associations in Turkey, the umbrella organizations, two associations, and one foundation, visited us. We meet with them constantly, at least three or four times a year. We had a very pleasant conversation, discussing our stance, our keeping of the promises we made to them, keeping them on the agenda, and the appropriateness of the path we have pledged.

But at the same time, they reminded me of this: They said that in June 2024, we held a two-day Workshop for Families of Martyrs and Veterans with the Republican People's Party. We had prepared a proposal that amends 18 laws, compiled from that workshop. We submitted this proposal to Parliament and called on the relevant committee to take action. The committee chairman, Mr. Akar, invited these associations, said they would work on it, and asked for time. But to date, there has been no progress in the committee. Our martyrs' families say, 'We have no complaints about the committee chairman, its members, or the members from the parties, but there is no progress. Because they constantly use economic difficulties, the Treasury, and the Minister of Finance as excuses. Please voice these once again,' they said.

Both on the 10th anniversary of Merasim Street and these days, accompanied by the sensitive agendas in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; for the families of those who gave their lives in place of all of us for this country, or for those who sacrificed a part of their bodies, the 18 laws that are pending—in these blessed days of Ramadan, when there is a tradition of working until suhoor in Parliament, there is no time issue—if you talk about money, it doesn't amount to a large sum, and if you don't allocate resources here, where will you allocate them? Where will you allocate them?

Therefore, the salary inequalities among veterans—which is a great shame for all of us—and the inequalities among martyrs' families are a great shame. The grievances and legitimate demands of our heroes who were not counted as veterans despite being wounded in the fight against terrorism remain unaddressed. The promised equivalent salary application for the families of enlisted and non-commissioned martyrs and for veterans has still not been implemented. There are serious disruptions and inequalities in the implementation of rights granted in health, transportation, employment, and education. Limiting orthosis-prosthesis services to a single hospital and bureaucratic obstacles cause loss of rights. It is requested that the authority and responsibilities regarding martyrs' relatives and veterans be transferred from the Ministry of Family to the Ministry of National Defense.

"WE STAND BEHIND THE 18-ARTICLE LAW"

We stand behind the 18-article law. It is entrusted to our group deputy chairmen and our group from here. We expect these regulations to be made in Parliament with the consensus and unanimous vote of the parties throughout the month of Ramadan, and as the Republican People's Party, we propose this to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and entrust it to them.

"THERE IS NO ONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW THE STANCE OF THE REPUBLICAN PEOPLE'S PARTY GROUP AGAINST THE JULY 15 COUP"

Also, among us today are the mothers of young soldiers, privates, and lieutenants who handed their children over to the army so that they might become martyrs for this country if necessary, and who risked death without blinking. There is no one who does not know Özgür Özel's stance against the July 15 coup, and there is no one who does not know the stance of the Republican People's Party group. May God damn those who planned that coup, those who carried it out, those who placed them in critical positions leading up to those days, those who provided them with money, and those who took up arms against the indivisible integrity of this nation, its constitution, and its parliament, a thousand times over. May God damn them a thousand times over.

"THIS SHAME MUST DEFINITELY BE CLEANSED"

However, I am speaking to those who sentenced men to life imprisonment in Silivri, men who were trainees, lieutenants, second lieutenants, soldiers who were told 'get up son' and they got up, 'walk son' and they walked, 'go to the bridge' and they went, 'get on the bus' and they boarded, and who stood on the bus and did not get off. There is a great violation of rights here. There is a violation of rights in cases where people were dismissed by decree-laws (KHK) and were found innocent in court, or sometimes not even deemed necessary to be tried, yet have still not been reinstated to their duties. Fighting a coup and punishing a coup plotter is one thing; creating further victimization and tearful mothers from this is another. This shame must be cleansed. It must be cleansed.

"WE SHARE THE SHAME OF NOT HAVING A VETERINARIAN MP IN ANY POLITICAL PARTY"

Today, of course, Mr. Günaydın also announced very important guests from many different segments. Today, our veterinary chamber presidents from different provinces are among us. Veterinarians are legally classified as healthcare workers, but their personal rights are in a situation worse than half of what they should be. The Justice and Development Party avoids legal regulations on this matter. Furthermore, we should have learned something during the pandemic, or rather, in this era and perhaps in the pandemics we will face in the coming period. These viruses that pass from animals to humans are the expertise of veterinarians. Infectious diseases are the expertise of veterinarians. The subject and field of veterinarians are extremely important for public health, for the health of all of us, both in terms of safe food and protection from diseases. For this, a 'One Health' principle has developed in the world. The modern world has accepted this. For this reason, we, as the Republican People's Party, value this approach.

Also, let us all admit a shame together. None of the 600 deputies elected to this supreme assembly of such a country were veterinarians. We share the shame of not having a veterinarian MP in any political party, and we make our self-criticism on this point on behalf of our party. In the first party assembly we held, we included the President of the Turkish Veterinary Medical Association, Mr. Murat Arslan, in our party assembly and policy boards. In their person, we respectfully greet the 50,000 veterinarians in Turkey, veterinary faculty students, and all their families, and we promise here and now that in the Republican People's Party group and during our government, many veterinarians will be appointed in this assembly, in the Cabinet, and in every critical position.

100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADOPTION OF THE TURKISH CIVIL CODE

Today is the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the Turkish Civil Code. In this context, our women's branch provincial presidents from 81 provinces, our mayors, municipal council members, and our very valuable political companions are with us. The foundation of gender equality in Turkey was laid with determination 100 years ago. Equality between men and women in inheritance, divorce, custody, and working life was guaranteed. But unfortunately, women in Turkey today still do not feel safe. Inequality, injustice, violence against women, and femicide continue. And unfortunately, the Justice and Development Party government is causing a disaster for the country and its women here, as it is in many other areas. Femicides cannot be prevented, violence against women cannot be prevented. And so much so that the rapid decline experienced in the year the Istanbul Convention—which we proudly supported, supported with all our hearts, and proudly voted for—was accepted, was an international convention that the parliament had accepted and was held in Istanbul; with Mr. Erdoğan withdrawing from that convention on his own with a single signature, he practically pulled the state out from behind women. And since that day, the statistics and figures have been getting much worse.

"THE FIRST AGREEMENT WE WILL SUBMIT TO THIS ASSEMBLY WILL BE THE AGREEMENT TO RETURN TO THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION"

Let me say something here that I have said before. After 47 years, our party became the first party. In the congress five months before the last election we entered, I had made this promise: I said that just as the late Bülent Ecevit and his change team emerged as the first party in four elections in the 70s, two local and two general, we would make our party the first party, or we would quit this job. Five months after this promise, the Republican People's Party became the first party after 47 years. The Justice and Development Party was defeated for the first time since the day it was founded, and we won a great victory. Today, I am here as the chairman of Turkey's first party, which is further increasing its support in the public vote and in all polls you follow. And let it be a promise from here, let it go down in history, let me express it once again: On February 17, 2026, we renew our promise once again. I will take the podium again as the chairman of the ruling party of the Republic of Turkey—the hall will be different then—and you will see that day that the first agreement we will submit to this assembly will be the agreement to return to the Istanbul Convention. We promise all women in Turkey, all women!

When we say these words, what are we saying? Who are we listening to? Whose promise are we keeping? Look at what Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk says: "Is it possible for one half of a society to rise to the skies while the other half remains chained to the ground?" We are determined to lift the Republic to the skies in the hands of women. To lift it to the skies!

"FOOD INFLATION IN COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, WHETHER YOU KNOW THEIR NAMES OR NOT, IS LOWER THAN OURS."

Unfortunately, the economic crisis continues with all its intensity. January inflation was announced at 4.8 percent. As you know, December inflation was 0.89 percent. In other words, the state dealt a huge blow to its retirees, employees, and civil servants. They kept December inflation low; they stole 4 percent from the salaries that were supposed to go into your pockets. Then they showed that inflation as 4.8 in January. Other organizations find it to be 6.5 - 7. Unfortunately, we are at a point where we are number one in Europe in inflation. But these calculated inflation rates are always average inflation, headline inflation. But when you look at real inflation, for example, food inflation; we are fourth in the world in terms of high food inflation. There are three countries above us in terms of high food inflation: Iran, Argentina, and South Sudan.

Apart from this, food inflation in countries around the world, whether you know their names or not, is lower than ours. For example, you know the name Angola; it is lower than ours. Burundi; lower than ours. Malawi... Malawi's food inflation is lower than ours. The Republic of Turkey's one-month inflation is higher than the annual inflation of 100 countries in the world. They say, "Inflation is the world's problem," which is true. If the Germans' inflation, which is 2.1, hits 4 percent, they go crazy and take immediate measures. Inflation below 3 or 4 percent, not single digits, is considered acceptable inflation. It is 2.4 percent in Europe.

"THE LIE THAT THE ECONOMY WILL IMPROVE COLLAPSED IN THE FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR"

At this point, who is responsible for this inflation? He says, "I am the one responsible for everything. I am an economist." Look, on the record, on live broadcast... Erdoğan, December 2020; he said, "We will bring inflation down to single digits in 2021." 2021 inflation came out at 36 percent. November 2021; he said, "Interest is the cause, inflation is the result, we will break this cycle in 2022." Inflation rose to 64 percent. December 2022; he said, "Everyone should make their 2023 calculations based on an inflation rate of around 20 percent." Inflation came out at 65 percent. In 2023; he said, "Inflation will fall to single digits" by the end of 2023. 2024 inflation became 44 percent. They were calculating 13-19 percent for this year, but they revised it to 21 percent in the very first month of the year. But all experts who know the business do not expect inflation below 28-30 percent.

Turkey is unfortunately heading for the worse, and it will continue to do so. The AK Party has not been good for Turkey in any regard, and it will continue not to be. The lie that the economy will improve collapsed in the first month of the year. In the first month of the year, the budget ran a deficit of 214.5 billion liras.

And in January, interest payments increased by 180 percent compared to January of the previous year. Last year in January, we paid 163 billion in interest; this year, it is 456 billion. Interest payments increased by 180 percent, but the budget allocated for investment decreased by 37 percent. Look, if it had increased by 37 percent, there would be hope for next year. It decreased by 37 percent. Imagine you are a company owner, and the general manager is here. You ask, "My child, how did we enter January?" "Well, sir, interest payments increased by 180 percent." "Well, you are taking money and paying interest, how much did production increase?" "Production fell by 38 percent." Oh, the misery, the misery!

"ENDING THIS CRISIS IS THE PRIMARY DUTY AT THE BALLOT BOX"

If you don't immediately fire that general manager or that finance director, it is clear that you will go bankrupt next year. Removing these parasites from the backs of the voters of the Republic of Turkey and ending this crisis is the primary duty at the ballot box. The primary duty at the ballot box.

"100 LIRA IN TAXES; THE WEALTHY PAY 11 LIRA OF THIS, WHILE THE MIDDLE CLASS AND THE POOR PAY 89 LIRA"

For every 100 liras of tax collected in January... They collect it from you, right? 100 liras in taxes; the wealthy pay 11 liras of this, while the middle class and the poor pay 89 liras. 11 liras is corporate tax, 23 liras is income tax; the portion the state takes before you even withdraw your salary from the ATM. And 64 liras, or 64-65 liras, is indirect tax. That is, the indirect tax you pay within the bill when buying bread, meat, milk, paying for electricity, or paying for natural gas. It is the most ruthless tax in the world, making no distinction between rich and poor. It takes the same from the factory owner and the guard at the factory owner's gate. It takes the same from the multi-billionaire and the minimum wage earner. It is the most unjust tax in the world.

This 100 liras was collected, and you paid 89 of it; they spent 39 liras of this on interest this year. 39 liras went to interest in January. And let's be honest with ourselves. When the Republican People's Party says certain things, they ask, 'Is there funding, is there funding?'... For example, the 69.5 billion needed for the lowest pension... 69.5 billion. 'There is no money, there is no funding, wouldn't we give it if there were?' They paid exactly 6.5 times that amount in interest in a single month. Look, they paid 6.5 times the amount needed for all retirees for an entire year in interest in just one month.

"16 TIMES THE AMOUNT GIVEN TO ALL THE POOR IN A YEAR WAS PAID IN INTEREST IN JANUARY"

Money is allocated to the budget for the fight against poverty. So, what is it? All the aid provided to the poor. We paid 16 times the amount the state allocated for the fight against poverty for an entire year—which is 28 billion—in interest in January alone. 16 times what is given to all the poor in a year was paid in interest in January.

When things are like this, why is there poverty in this country, and why are retirees in this state? The reason for all of it is that 'I know best,' 'I know,' 'this is the cause, that is the result'... Germany has 2% inflation, friends, two. It went to 4-4.5-5, they raised interest rates to 6, and turned inflation downward from there. Why? Because when inflation rises, people try to buy something with that money fearing it will melt in their pockets; that is inflation. They raise the interest rate above that so that money is drawn into the bank, stopping inflation. It is that simple. They couldn't explain a simple thing that a child could understand to Erdoğan for years. He came without understanding, and he acted as if he didn't know.

"OUR RETIREES, MINIMUM WAGE EARNERS, AND FARMERS ARE HUNGRY"

He said, 'Sir, interest is not the result, it is the cause.' He kept interest rates high, pushed inflation to 80%, and now he cannot bring it down. But in the meantime, he transferred all the money in the pockets of the poor to the rich. In fact, he made a conscious choice, and by forcing the wrong path, he brought the poor to a point of greater poverty, the former middle class to a state of destitution, and the destitute to a state of misery.

This is the result... Look, we keep talking about it; the lowest pension is 20,000 liras, and the average pension is 23,000 liras. The minimum wage is 28,000 liras. The proportion of those earning minimum wage is 55%. In the past, the minimum wage was an entry-level salary, for example, 9% in Germany and 4-5% in other European countries, from which one would quickly move away with seniority. In our country, it has become the average wage. The average income of farmers in Turkey is 19,700 liras. In other words, our retirees, minimum wage earners, and farmers are hungry.

"102 THOUSAND LIRAS IS THE POVERTY LINE"

So, what about those who were once envied—'If only I were a civil servant,' 'If only I were a teacher,' 'If only I were an officer'? The civil servant salary, after the raise, is 61,000 liras. A new teacher earns 71,000 liras. A police officer earns 80,000 liras. A captain earns 95,000 liras. A lieutenant earns 90,000 liras. A non-commissioned officer earns 77,000 liras. A lecturer earns 93,000 liras. A nurse earns 75,000 liras. An engineer... what engineers we wanted but didn't get; if you had, their spouse earns 84,000 liras.

The poverty line is 102,000 liras. Imagine a country, just imagine... A prison guard earns 62,000 liras. Imagine a country where everyone from the prison guard to the nurse, from the teacher to the lieutenant, the captain, the non-commissioned officer, and the engineer is poor. Everyone is below the poverty line. Look at the state they took the country in, and look at what they have turned it into.

"WE WILL DISMANTLE THE AK PARTY'S DARK ORDER"

That is why this order, where investments are shrinking, interest payments are rising, the rich are getting richer, the poor are suffering, and the former middle class—those who were once envied, who could buy a house and a car in 5 years if both spouses were civil servants—cannot even dream of a house or a car today unless they win the lottery or receive an inheritance, is called the AK Party's dark order. We will change this order. We will dismantle the AK Party's dark order, my friends.

Tomorrow is the first Tarawih prayer. The month of Ramadan is beginning. On Thursday, fasts will be observed and iftar will be held. I congratulate our entire country and the Islamic world on the blessed month of Ramadan. I wish for it to bring goodness to our country. However, the hardships of the impoverished nation will continue during Ramadan as well. Look... These... Wherever I go, my aunts tell me, 'Tell them, son, tell them like this,' so I am telling it like this.

"VOTERS WHO VOTED FOR THE AK PARTY SHOULD REMEMBER 2015"

The year 2018... Remember, this story actually began in 2015. During the June 7 campaign, the Republican People's Party said: 'One salary bonus for every retiree during religious holidays.' The Nationalist Movement Party also adopted this and expressed it in a different way. At that time, the DEM, the party of today's DEM, also said it. The AK Party, on the other hand, said nothing. They said, 'They can't give it, they can't give it,' and 'There is no funding,' and so on. They lost the June 7 elections. Actually, this is the beauty of democracy. In other words, voters who voted for the AK Party should remember 2015. The parties that promised a salary bonus to retirees on June 7 secured the majority, the AK Party could not secure the majority, could not form a government, and the country went to elections again.

While heading to that election on November 1—of course, very bad things also happened, explosions, terrorist incidents, those are discussed separately—but the AK Party, while mentioning other promises, said, 'We will also give the permanent staff status to subcontractors that the CHP said it would give.' They said, 'We will also give retiree bonuses.' We gave our word, Tayyip Erdoğan... While heading to November 1, 2015. They didn't give it in '15; there was no election anyway. They didn't give it in '16; there was no election anyway. They didn't give it in 2017; there was no election anyway. They gave it in 2018. Why? There was an election. Now, everyone should keep in mind how Tayyip Erdoğan does something in an election year and then leaves people high and dry, especially the retirees who are struggling, the minimum wage earners who are left to starve, and everyone who has been left in misery these days.

That year we objected, we said, 'It's not enough.' He had given 1,000 liras, 1,000 liras. Do you remember? 1,000. We said 'One salary,' he gave 1,000 liras. That 1,000 liras bought 24 kilos of cubed meat. Cubed meat for roasting, 24 kilos. With the money of that day. It bought 24 kilos of cubed meat that day. In 2025, it was 4,000 liras last year. It has dropped to 6 kilos of cubed meat. Look, he says to me; 'Oh Özgür, leave that ledger, that calculator. Leave the gold account, look at so-and-so's account.' Look at your account... The first retiree bonus you gave bought 24 kilos of beef cubes. The last retiree bonus you gave is 4,000 liras, it buys 6 kilos.

Now they are making preparations in the Planning and Budget Committee. They will make the 4,000 into 5,000. 5,000 liras buys 4 kilos of cubed meat this year, friends. From a retiree bonus that bought 24 kilos of cubed meat to a retiree bonus that buys 4 kilos... Well, retirees, remember what the Republican People's Party says? 'Retiree bonus, the holiday bonus for retirees should be one minimum wage,' right? It should be one minimum wage.

"THE GOVERNMENT THAT WILL COMPLY WITH RETIREES IS THE REPUBLICAN PEOPLE'S PARTY GOVERNMENT"

How much is one minimum wage? 28,800 liras. How many kilos of beef cubes does it buy? 24 kilos. Our calculation is clear. In other words, while the AK Party's chaotic system reduced the retiree's purchasing power from 24 kilos to 4 kilos within 7 years, the Republican People's Party's calculation, that is, the minimum wage proposal, is the amount that would buy the same 24 kilos of ground meat they bought back then today.

The consistent account, the accurate account, the account that aligns with conscience, the account that fits the pocket, the account that suits the retiree is here! The government that will suit the retiree is the Republican People's Party government!

"IFTAR INFLATION IS 50%"

God is my witness, Mr. Tayyip is also a man who loves to talk about the future. With the future and the past. I showed it last week, what did he say: 'If you are buying less bread than you were three years ago, curse me.' God forbid, we do not curse, and we do not let others curse. But he said, 'Let the one who buys less bread than three years ago curse me.'

I showed the bread last week. Now Ramadan is coming. The same Ramadan food parcel, the same. The parcel from last year. Inside, there is still sunflower oil, tea, bulgur, pasta, chickpeas, flour, rice... The same Ramadan parcel. If you don't believe me, go look at the market or the grocery store. Last year it was 1,610 liras, with a 50% increase it is 2,415. So the inflation of the iftar, the inflation of Ramadan is 50%. They can show it as low as they want, they can calculate it as low as they want. The inflation of the Ramadan parcel is 50%. Iftar inflation is 50%.

Let's look at the retiree; with the pension they received in 2023, just three years... He says, 'Let the one who buys less bread than three years ago curse me.' Last week I showed that 400 fewer loaves of bread are being bought. Not a peep, no answer... In 2023, while they were buying 15 Ramadan parcels, it dropped to 9 last year, and this year it has dropped to 8. The minimum wage earner; 3 years ago they were buying 17 parcels, last year they bought 14, this year it is dropping to 11. The minimum wage earner drops by 3 parcels every year. 17, 14, 11. God forbid, if they had the opportunity for 3 more years, they would reduce the minimum wage earner to 2 parcels.

"LET US ALSO PREPARE A RAMADAN PACKAGE, A PARCEL"

Now we want to express this here; no AK Party member has come forward to counter any word we have said during budget negotiations, in front of our friends in the planning and budget committee, on the parliamentary floor, or on television... I am saying this clearly to Mr. Erdoğan here: Look, the language of politics in Turkey is harsh. There is tension, we hear bad words, we hear things we do not deserve. We are saying what you deserve. Come, Ramadan is coming. Come, let us hear the voice of this nation. Let us lower our voices a little in politics, let us speak in a lower tone, but let us hear the voice of this nation. For example, let us say that we, too, will prepare a Ramadan package, a parcel, that will make life easier for the retiree, the minimum wage earner, and the farmers.

"BRING THE BALLOT BOX, I WILL SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS"

Everything needed for this exists in this country. Only one thing is missing: political will. Otherwise, they find money for everything; they find money for interest, they find money for bridges, they find money for this and that, they find money for their cronies, but when it comes to us, when it comes to the poor, they can't find it... Oh, are we lying? Come on, let's go to the TRT studios tomorrow evening, the first night of Ramadan. I will bring these accounts, and you come and face me and say, 'These are wrong.' I am saying this to Erdoğan, who takes votes from the poor, the retirees, the laborers, and the middle class, and then provides all services for the rich and the wealthy while turning his back on the poor.

If you say, 'Let all parties do something together' after this point; we are here for the veterans, we are here for the martyrs, we are here for the retired laborers. Well, if you don't do it, then don't expect anything from anyone! We want only one thing: Bring the ballot box, and I will solve all the problems!

"THE BRITISH AND CANADIANS ARE SALIVATING; OURS ARE SILENT"

Ramadan is coming, and the drummers will take to the streets. Drummers recite traditional verses. By God, if they recited this, they would be doing a great service. I call out to all drummers; let them beat their drums like this and say: 'Oh people, hear ye, hear ye! This government is selling the goose that lays the golden eggs! This government is selling the Bosphorus bridges and the highways!' All the magazines in Europe are writing about this, and economic channels are reporting it. The British and the Canadians are salivating; our people are silent.

"10 MILLIONS WILL HEAR THIS TONIGHT"

Against this silence, our Istanbul Provincial Branch will hold a march today between Arnavutköy and Ortaköy. What are they protesting? The sale of the bridge. The Istanbul Governor's Office is not granting permission, may God be pleased with him. May God be pleased with the Governor of Istanbul. If they had granted permission, 100 people, 1,000 people, 10,000 people would have heard; with God's permission, 10 million will hear it tonight.

At 5:00 PM, we will walk between the two bridges. At 5:00 PM, we will explain that two Bosphorus bridges and seven highways are to be sold for 3.5 billion dollars. Their annual revenue is 600 million dollars.

"THEY ARE SELLING OUR 25-YEAR FUTURE"

Look, I am explaining this very simply, please make sure you understand. This is what they are doing: They are selling bridges for 3.5 million, they will take this money immediately, and they will give the 25-year revenue to a foreign company. Do you know what will happen? There is a 5-year period, right? In 5 years, since it earns 600 million, this money will already come in. The first 2 years of this are during his own term; you are already taking this year and the next. They are selling our 25-year future in exchange for the money that would be received in the first 3 years of a CHP government.

25 years! For 25 years... He realized he was going to lose, he needs money for the election. Look at the evil he is doing to the country just to pull the money forward, and to ensure there is no money left for the future government so that we cannot keep the promises we made. 2 of the 5 liras are already coming in during his own term. He is making an offer to foreign companies saying, 'Give me these 3 as well, and the 25 liras can be yours.' I swear, in the spirit of Ramadan, to quote Kadir İnanır: Mr. Tayyip, our name is Tatar Ramazan. We will disrupt this game!

"MAY GOD NEVER LET ANY POLITICIAN FALL INTO YOUR SITUATION"

Another scandal took place at Boğaziçi last week. As you know, they appointed a trustee to Boğaziçi University in 2020, Melih Bulu. Later, Naci İnci was appointed in his place. Academics have been protesting at Boğaziçi for 1259 days. Boğaziçi University stands tall with its students, faculty, alumni, and the support the nation has given them. They call the rectorate a trusteeship and turn their backs on it.

And there are male and female student dormitories there. They are going to be inaugurated. The President of the country is going to the country's best university. Before these people came, it was ranked very high; it has regressed to very bad positions. What will happen under the presence of such a rector? And those who have caused Boğaziçi University to drop hundreds of places in academic rankings will go there.

Go ahead, hold the inauguration. They cleared the entire campus the night before. They emptied the dorms at 6 in the morning. He is going to hold an inauguration for students, yet he is clearing out the students. They did not let all the students, all the faculty members, and all the staff of Boğaziçi into the university, let alone within hundreds of meters of the university. They closed the shops across the street.

They opened the gates. They brought their own members, whom they filled from İstanbul AK Party district organizations, to Boğaziçi University, packed them in, and held the inauguration by speaking to them. Mr. Erdoğan, Istanbul Boğaziçi University has been under occupation since 2020 anyway. It is effectively occupied, intellectually occupied, and academically occupied. Now, using the state's police, with AK Party women's branches and youth branches; without shame or embarrassment, you empty out the faculty and the university, bring in a bused-in crowd, and make them applaud. May God never let any politician fall into your situation. May God never let any politician fall into your situation!

"TWO SENTENCES PRAISING NETANYAHU, TWO SENTENCES PRAISING ERDOĞAN"

Now, perhaps we criticize and get angry at Erdoğan on many issues, and rightly so. But as his political rival, as the chairman of the main opposition party, and as someone who has served as a member of parliament for years, I did not even predict that he would attempt something like this.

71,000 people have been massacred in Palestine, 71,000! Most of them are children and women. The murderer is Netanyahu... Erdoğan calls Netanyahu the 'Butcher of Gaza,' the 'head of a terrorist state,' and the 'Hitler of our time.' And he says, 'I will not be in the same building as that murderer, I will not shake his hand, I will not do this or that.' Trump calls Netanyahu a 'war hero' and a 'tough guy.' With one hand, he pats Netanyahu on the back, and with the other, he pats Erdoğan's. He praises Netanyahu in two sentences and Erdoğan in two sentences. This Trump went ahead and put forward a plan called the 'Gaza Peace Plan.' And he said, actually, there was nothing unexpected in what he said about Gaza.

"ERDOĞAN HAS ANNOUNCED THAT HE HAS AGREED TO TAKE PART IN THIS OCCUPATION PLAN"

What was he saying? When I first arrived, I looked at Gaza, it's a beautiful place. There is no room for Palestinians there. I will sweep them into the five neighboring countries, and I will build hotels and casinos there. Gaza is beautiful, and there is oil and hydrocarbons in front of it; I want that place. That's what he was saying, right? He called it the 'Gaza Peace Plan,' he called it the 'Gaza Peace Force.' He made a call to 62 countries... 41 of these 62 countries did not accept the invitation, 21 did. I heard it and couldn't believe it; Erdoğan himself announced that he has agreed to take part in this occupation plan where hotels, holiday villages, and casinos will be built. He had Hakan Fidan registered for the sub-committees. Under Trump's chairmanship... Look, Mr. Bahçeli said, 'If a body is to be established for Gaza, let it be established, and let Erdoğan be at the head of it.' Look, if Erdoğan were at the head of it, if it were established by Muslim countries and worked for Palestine, no one would say anything.

But under Trump's chairmanship, our man lined up in the place where no sane country would participate, but where those who bow to Trump lined up. And you know what happened yesterday? On February 11... Rubio and Netanyahu signed an agreement, and Netanyahu also sat in the seat next to Erdoğan's inside that board.

Look here, the board is here, and Erdoğan is a member of this board. This is the 'New Gaza Project'... Look; they will build hotels, casinos, and marinas. Look, they will also extract natural gas and oil from the place where he said 'there are hydrocarbons in front of it.' This is the place where Erdoğan said 'I am in too,' where he complied with Trump, and where he sat at the table chaired by Trump; Netanyahu has also been sitting there since yesterday, he sat there two days ago.

"THERE IS NO SHAME OR DECENCY LEFT"

Erdoğan was saying 'Butcher of Gaza'... Look Erdoğan, that butcher is opening a shop there, and you will shop there too. You were saying 'head of a terrorist state'... You walk side by side, arm in arm here. Erdoğan, you were saying 'Hitler of our time'... How will it be now? How will it be? Will you applaud the Hitler who is massacring Palestinians there together? Shame on you, shame on you!

There is no shame or embarrassment left. From here, Bahçeli says, 'I condemn this, I condemn that.' Anyone who does not condemn this should not speak to me at all. There is no room for Palestinians there; he says, 'I will sweep them away, I will do this to them,' and Erdoğan is entering the administration of this place together with Netanyahu.

"SHAME ON ERDOĞAN"

Do you know what this is? This is the Palestinian Occupation Administration. When Anatolia was occupied, there was an occupation administration, there was a High Commissioners' Council. It included representatives of the occupiers; French, Italian, Greek... Against this, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk established the Representative Committee (Heyet-i Temsiliye). Now, shame on Erdoğan, who, instead of establishing a Representative Committee against this occupation plan, has joined the High Commissioners' Council; shame on him!

The Minister of Justice, the new Minister of Justice, was issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu. Now they will sit at the same table. Tell Hakan Fidan to arrest him and bring him in. Tell Erdoğan to arrest Netanyahu and bring him in. Those who signed the plan to occupy Gaza together are now acting as if they are condemning the Israeli Parliament for once again passing a bill that accepts lands in the West Bank as Israeli state property; they go around in circles and do these things, and they also condemn it. What are you condemning? You are handing over one part of what you call Palestine to Trump and Netanyahu, and on the other side, Netanyahu says this, and we condemn these things. I say it clearly from here: The blood of 71,000 people in Palestine is on Netanyahu's hands, and anyone who shakes his hand is a partner in that massacre. Period.

335 days have passed since the March 19 coup. We are continuing a great struggle all together. The exhausted Erdoğan, the tired Erdoğan, the Erdoğan who cannot cope with our women's branches and does not trust the AK Party's women's branches, had established the judicial branch of the AK Party. He put someone at the head of it. And now he has taken that same person and brought him back once again to make him Minister of Justice. Look, I thank Mr. Erdoğan for this appointment. I thank him. Because a person who was first a judge in the most controversial cases... For example, for example, Sırrı Süreyya Önder... You know, the most witty, most humane person in this Parliament, whose picture Mr. Bahçeli loved when he passed away, about whom AK Party members said nice things, and whom we all attended the funeral of. May God have mercy on his soul, may God have mercy on his soul.

Sırrı Süreyya Önder read a letter during Nevruz last time. In those days, the MİT had brought the letter, given it to them, and had it read on stage. They called this reading of the letter by Sırrı Süreyya Önder "terrorist organization propaganda," and they are trying to put Sırrı Süreyya in prison. This Sırrı Süreyya told me himself, may he rest in peace, but he told everyone: 'I went to the podium,' he says, 'Akın Gürlek was at the podium. I approached the podium and said, "Give me double the sentence, but don't give it under this article."' Why, he asked? 'If I do this, this state will never find a peace envoy to read a letter at Nevruz again.' He says he looked at me like this, he says he averted his eyes. He slapped the sentence on me under that article.

That article, that sentence went to the Constitutional Court, friends. A violation of rights decision was given with the votes of all 15 judges of the Constitutional Court, all of whom were appointed during the AK Party era. In other words, it was said that "Akın Gürlek has violated rights," "he has acted unjustly." Countless rights violations like this occurred during his tenure. The main condition for being promoted to a first-class judge is that you must not have been found by the Constitutional Court to have committed a rights violation. The country must not receive a penalty from the ECHR. In other words, the decision you make must not be overturned. In the decisions he made, there were severe rights violations... He was first Deputy Minister, then he went on to become the Chief Public Prosecutor of Istanbul... There, he made countless slanders against our Mayor Ekrem and all our friends... For example, a perjurer called a secret witness; "I saw this, this, and this." Then the secret witness loses his mind, attempts suicide, and flees. The secret witness who saw this that day goes away, and another secret witness with a different name comes in his place and says he saw the same thing. He says, "I was in that room too," and there are three of them. This one leaves, another one enters in his place and says, "I was there too," and they are still three people. Hey, where is the other secret witness?

"THOSE WHO SAID 'LET IT BE A LIVE BROADCAST' BACKED OUT OF THE LIVE BROADCAST"

It was a big lie, a big fraud, and they slandered our friends for 11 months with these. Once the indictment was released, they were left under it. I won't count them one by one now, but everything turned out to be a lie. Everything; they couldn't prove a single thing. They cannot stand behind the indictment. Those who said 'let it be a live broadcast' backed out of the live broadcast. Those who said 'once the indictment is out, you won't be able to show your faces in public'—the indictment is out, they can't get out of the situation, they don't even touch upon it. Our friends are waiting to be tried, they are waiting to judge, and in the meantime, Erdoğan makes this person Minister of Justice at 23:59... 12:00 at night, the impartial Chief Public Prosecutor of Istanbul at 23:59 (I used to say he was not impartial, they said he was. I used to say these decisions were political, they said they were legal). The Chief Public Prosecutor of Istanbul at 23:59, with Erdoğan's signature, becomes the AK Party's Minister of Justice at 00:00! The next day, at the AK Party Provincial Chairs meeting, he says, 'we will continue to work for the success of our party.'

"I EXPECT MR. AKIN TO DECLARE HIS ASSETS"

I thank Mr. Erdoğan. I said it many times, I explained it many times, I was able to convince 60% of the public; you embarrassed the remaining 40% who 'believed in you,' and you certified it with this signature. Akın Gürlek was never a chief prosecutor, he was always political, and he is political today. Now, when such changes in duty occur for Mr. Akın, there is a duty that we are all subject to: Ministers and Members of Parliament, when we take office or are re-elected, must declare their assets. I expect Mr. Akın to declare his assets. I have them. They hurriedly dropped from 16 properties to 12. They are all here, one by one.

"YOUR DEADLINE IS ONE WEEK"

I invite Mr. Akın to disclose his assets before the press. If he does not disclose them, I will reveal them island by island, plot by plot, site by site, apartment by apartment... I expect Mr. Akın to disclose his 12 real estate assets; with which salary, and with which salary of his wife, he acquired those properties... I expect him to disclose his wife's assets. If Mr. Akın discloses them and explains one by one, 'I bought this house sold for 118 million in Istanbul, I bought it by saving my salaries,' that inexplicable total... If Mr. Akın does not disclose them, I will reveal both those, the assets held by a police officer at RTÜK, and the assets of a law firm in Çayyolu, Ankara, as well as the assets of the lawyers there. I am asking the Minister of Justice, to whom justice is entrusted, and Erdoğan, who appointed him, about the most inexplicable issue in Turkish political history. I challenge you; your deadline is one week!

News Source: 12punto