DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları, in her speech at her party's parliamentary group meeting, called on the government regarding the second opening process, referred to as a 'Terror-Free Turkey'. Stating that the terrorist organization PKK has 'dissolved itself and burned its weapons,' Hatimoğulları said: 'One side took a step and kept its word. Now it is the turn of the state and the government to keep their word.' she said.
The Peace Mothers also attended the group meeting this week. Greeting the mothers in the hall with their white headscarves, Hatimoğulları stated that they have been voicing their demand for peace for years. She expressed that the mothers' demands are 'the removal of obstacles to peace, an end to isolation, and the release of political prisoners.'
Stating that a process began on February 27 with the call of terrorist leader Abdullah Öcalan, Hatimoğulları argued that the government must announce a concrete timeline to the public. 'The law has been passed, but when will it be implemented? Where will those who burned their weapons come to? How and under what conditions will they come?' Hatimoğulları asked, adding: 'The framework law must be implemented without further delay.' she said.
CALL FOR 'FREE WORKING CONDITIONS' FOR ÖCALAN
Stating that Parliament should take a more active role for the process to progress, Hatimoğulları said: 'A monitoring committee must now be established in Parliament. Parliament should actively assume its role in facilitating peace.' Hatimoğulları further asserted that 'free working and communication conditions' must be provided for terrorist leader Öcalan.
KOBANI CASE AND TRUSTEE CRITICISM
In her speech, Hatimoğulları recalled the detention and arrest of numerous politicians, including former HDP co-chairs Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, on November 4, 2016, and stated that their imprisonment continues despite European Court of Human Rights rulings. Arguing that the case has been 'turned into political revenge,' Hatimoğulları stated that statements would be made in front of prisons on the anniversary of November 4.
Hatimoğulları also criticized the removal of elected mayors from office and the appointment of trustees in their place. 'It is unacceptable to remove people from their positions against the will of the people and appoint trustees. It means burying democracy in the grave,' said Hatimoğulları, claiming that Court of Accounts reports identified '8.3 billion liras of irregularities' during the trustee period at the Van Metropolitan Municipality.
FUND INVESTIGATION AND RETIREMENT SALARY OUTBURST
In her assessment of the fund investigation, Hatimoğulları described the events as an 'economic Susurluk.' Reminding that 30 years have passed since the Susurluk incident, Hatimoğulları said, 'The car has changed in 30 years, but the mentality has not. Today, this car is running rampant in the stock market, funds, and banks.'
Attacking the government with the words, 'You called it the Century of Turkey, but it turned out to be the Century of Plunder,' Hatimoğulları said they would not allow the file to be closed before those responsible are revealed. Touching upon the financial difficulties of retirees, Hatimoğulları reiterated the DEM Party's proposal that the retirement salary should be half of the poverty line, stating that with current figures, the retirement salary should be 61,928 liras.
Touching on the topics of work-related deaths and child labor, Hatimoğulları said that at least 66 children lost their lives while working in the first nine months of the year. Stating that MESEM (Vocational Training Centers) should be closed, Hatimoğulları called for internship and apprenticeship periods to be counted as the start of insurance.
Regarding the foreign policy agenda, Hatimoğulları stated that they oppose the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, arguing that the agreement could 'drag Turkey into a war it did not choose.' She said the region needs 'peace and cooperation pacts, not war pacts.'
At the end of her speech, calling on different political segments for a joint struggle for peace and democracy, Hatimoğulları said, 'Peace will not be presented to us on a silver platter. We will win peace through struggle. We will build it through struggle.'
News Source: 12punto
