New party move from Özgür Özel: He announced his first goal

CHP's elected Chairman Özgür Özel made evaluations regarding the discussions of a new party.

Stating that their first step is to stay and fight to take back the CHP, Özel said, "If the judiciary blocks the way to take back the party, we will establish a new party and make it the main opposition. We will keep a party in reserve that can submit deputy lists to the YSK against a snap election," he said.

HE ANNOUNCED THE ROADMAP IN THREE STEPS

Özel explained the roadmap to be followed in three stages. Accordingly, the first step will be to stay in the CHP and continue the struggle to take the party back. If this is not possible due to the attitude of the judiciary, a new party will be established from scratch and the main opposition duty will be continued with this party. The third step will be to keep a party that has the eligibility to enter elections ready against a possible snap election.

A takeover congress will be held for this party, the chairmanship will be assumed by one of the previous term deputies, and the management will consist of former deputies and party administrators who do not intend to engage in active politics in the future. Özel and the current CHP deputies will not join this party; the party will only be kept ready to submit a deputy list to the Supreme Election Council (YSK).

Regarding the name of the new party, Özel said, "We haven't talked about any names with Mayor Ekrem. In fact, Mayor Ekrem constantly says, 'Mr. Chairman, we are here, you see the best on the field, you know best.' Some names were thrown out there. For example, İstiklal, Ekim, etc. These are completely lies. The naming part is the easiest." Özel also stated that July 20 is not a definitive date for establishing a new party or leaving the CHP.

"JULY 20 IS NOT DEFINITIVE"

Addressing the statement by CHP Deputy Süleyman Bülbül that "We are establishing a new party with 100 deputies after July 20," Özel said that July 20 is not a definitive date for a split. Stating that the date when the judicial recess begins is critical, Özel argued that applications regarding the nullity file were deliberately delayed and that it was not desired for the file to be taken onto the agenda of the Court of Cassation before the judicial recess. Expressing that they see the Court of Cassation lifting the injunction as a strong possibility, Özel claimed that otherwise, public law would suffer serious damage.

Speaking about how many deputies would join if a new party is established, Özel said, "It could be ninety, a hundred, eighty-five, a hundred and five. Our deputies will decide this. It would not be right for me to say, 'I have the will of a hundred deputies in my pocket.'" However, stating that they are in constant consultation with over 110 deputies, Özel emphasized that their primary motivation is to win back the CHP.

Stating that if it is not possible to take back the party, they will not condemn Turkey to an uncertainty that will last for many years, Özel said, "The street will not tolerate this. In the first days, those who said 'Don't leave the party to anyone' were in the majority, but now the number of those saying 'A new path' is increasing. People see this picture imposed by the government as risky in terms of an election that could be held at any moment," he said.

A SEPARATE FORMULA FOR MAYORS

Stating that if a new party is established, they will act together with deputies, Party Assembly members, and previous term deputies, Özel said that the decision regarding mayors will be made later, after consultations with them.

Stating that when he came to the position of CHP Chairman, the party had 1 million 250 thousand members and this number rose to 2 million, Özel said that approximately 45 thousand members left the party after the nullity discussions. Stating that they are calling on members to "Stay in the party" for now, Özel expressed that if the establishment of a new party becomes certain, they will also invite CHP members to the new party.

Evaluating the allegations made about him that his immunity would be lifted and he would be arrested, Özel said, "What is happening is already bad enough. I wouldn't be surprised if the evil continues or increases. They are trying to scare the mayors, deputies, and their families who act with us," he said.

Emphasizing that the new party will be established from scratch, not through an existing political party, Özel said that no decision has been made regarding the party name and that the names mentioned in the public do not reflect the truth. Saying "The naming part is the easiest," Özel stated that they have not made any evaluation on this issue with Ekrem İmamoğlu either.

CHP leader Özgür Özel answered the questions of Deniz Zeyrek from Nefes.

• CHP Deputy Süleyman Bülbül said, “We are establishing the new party with 100 deputies after July 20.” Is this true?

Standard practices that should be done regarding law are not being done for the nullity to continue. The applications we make are being delayed. It is clear that they do not want the Court of Cassation to discuss this before the judicial recess. Because the view that a regional administrative court taking an injunction decision that will produce results is ignoring the Court of Cassation is dominant throughout the Court of Cassation. Everyone sees the lifting of this injunction as a strong possibility. If this does not happen, it is said that public law will not be able to recover from this. We, on the other hand, hope that our file will be handled before the judicial recess. Of course, July 20 is a critical date here, the judicial recess begins and the Court of Cassation will not discuss it until autumn.

Therefore, July 20 is not a definitive date for establishing a party or splitting. It would not be right to give a number of deputies, but if we establish another party or group, there is no doubt that it will be the main opposition. This could be ninety, a hundred, eighty-five, a hundred and five. These are decisions that our deputies will make themselves. I do not find it right to use an expression like 'I have the will of a hundred deputies in my pocket.'

Instead of exact figures and exact dates, there is a search for a common path by a team that thinks about the future of the party and does not want to lose the upcoming elections. However, let me say this: We are in constant consultation with over a hundred deputies, with 110 deputies, and we want to do the right thing. Our basic motivation is to take back our party as soon as possible. If this does not happen, we cannot condemn Turkey to a process where the duty of main opposition and the image of a party marching to power disappears. We are not at a point like "Whatever happens, let's stay in the party," which will last for months or years.

For one thing, the street will not tolerate us on this issue. In fact, in the first days, while we were hearing "Don't leave the party to anyone" on the street by eighty percent, twenty percent were saying "We are behind you." Now, every time I go out to the street, the number of those saying "A new path" is increasing. Because people's hope is running out and they see this game imposed on the party and Turkey by the government as very risky against an election that could be held at any moment.

• When you establish a new party, you will have said goodbye to the CHP completely, right?

There is no doubt. Hybrid formulas such as "Let those who will continue the struggle in the CHP stay" are being discussed and thought about, but this time, while trying to do these, the line of being the main opposition party could be lost. Therefore, we will act as one and whole with the deputies who are with us. So, if we are here, we are here; if we go, we go. The only special situation here is our mayors. We will act together with deputies, party assembly members, and previous term deputies, but we will leave the decision regarding the mayors to the next phase. We will do it by consulting with the mayors and talking to them at the most appropriate time and ground.

• There have been 45 thousand resignations from the CHP after the nullity. If you establish a new party, will you call on 2 million CHP members to join your party as well?

When I became CHP Chairman, we had 1 million 250 thousand members. We had gained 750 thousand members, it rose to two million. Despite our request and insistence to the provinces and districts "Do not resign," the CHP has currently lost 45 thousand members. The 45 thousand members who left would return the same day we came to the CHP. There is no problem there. If we said "Get up, we are leaving," it would be a very big thing. But if we move to a party structure in an irreversible way, of course, we will invite the members. Then something else will emerge. But for now, we are telling everyone who values our word to "Stay in the party."

• After July 9, they spread an allegation that your immunities would be lifted and you would be arrested. Do you expect any negativity, something worse after July 9?

I don't know what could be worse. What is happening is already bad enough. I wouldn't be surprised if this evil continues, nor would I be surprised if it increases. But on the other hand, I see such an effort of fear and anxiety management. This is, of course, a multi-faceted thing. They are trying to spread fear to the people who act with us, they are trying to scare the mayors, our deputies, and their families. The point I am saddened by here is those who surrender to the pressure of the AK Party judiciary and the AK Party. We are already used to these pressures and we are fighting with glory and honor. There are those who surrender to this. Look at what Aydın and Afyon did... Or Antalya, for example, constantly coming up with new allegations. Finally, he slandered Mayor Ekrem. Of course, he does this to link it to Mayor Ekrem, his presidential candidacy, etc.

• Will you establish a new party or will you continue with an existing party?

If we are not going to stay in the Republican People's Party, we will establish a new party from scratch. Frankly, my friends are making their preparations.

"THE NAMING PART IS THE EASIEST"

• Have you determined a name? It was said, "Only Özgür Özel and Ekrem İmamoğlu know."

No. We haven't talked about any names with Mayor Ekrem. In fact, Mayor Ekrem constantly says, "Mr. Chairman, we are here, you see the best on the field, you know best." Mayor Ekrem is incredibly motivated about his own judicial process. There is no such name that the two of us know. Some names were thrown out there. For example, İstiklal, Ekim, etc. These are completely lies. The naming part is the easiest.

• Well, what if that party cannot fulfill the election conditions quickly?

Alongside the new party, we are keeping a party that has the eligibility to enter elections, let me say it in quotes, in reserve as a precaution. We will hold a takeover congress where our previous term deputy will be the chairman, and our previous term deputies and party administrators, friends who do not think about active politics in the future, will also take part in the management of that party. I will not go to that party. Our deputies will not go to that party. That party is a party that will be kept ready as a precaution to submit a list to the YSK in case of a snap election.

Currently, the first determination is to stay in the party and take back the party. The second is, if the conditions to stay in the party disappear, to go to a party established from scratch, to go to a new party with its name, logo, and everything. And against the possibility of a snap election, to take over a party that has the eligibility to enter elections or is very close to having the eligibility to enter elections.

• You watched the hearing where Ekrem İmamoğlu is being tried in Istanbul, in Silivri. What is your impression of the hearing?

First of all, there are a lot of slanders, insults, etc., that have been said about Mayor Ekrem and have taken place in people's ears. Most of these are not in the indictment. And there are very clear answers to what is in the indictment. As you know, while Mayor Ekrem was making the relevant explanation about these, he was always brushed off with "You will say it in your defense." At the point we have reached, they are trying to finish this defense in six hours by bringing it to the noise of the NATO summit, and they are trying to prevent Mayor Ekrem's right to defense, let alone before the court, the court has already made its decision, before the public. This is very clear. The right to defense that the September 12 coup did not spare from DISK, the Erdoğan judiciary is sparing from the mayor of Istanbul, who has been elected three times in a row, our presidential candidate. It is unheard of. It is not something that can happen.

I did not leave the hall for a minute from the moment Mayor Ekrem took the podium until the hearing was closed. I did not get up from where I sat for four hours. There was also a desire to empty the hall at one point. It is very clear. Mayor Ekrem says, "You will not restrict my right to defense." He says, "Let me start, let me continue like this." They say, "Continue from where you left off in August." He says, "No," they say, "Your and your lawyers' defense will end tomorrow..." Think about it, the man is trying to limit the defense that Mayor Ekrem and his lawyers will make from 143 actions to a total of about six hours. It is not something that can happen.

I saw this, in the tension of the judge and the prosecutor... They are shouting at each other and giving instructions. The prosecutor is shouting at the judge, etc. 'Apply 203, come on'... There is a panic, they have received a harsh instruction, and every word Mayor Ekrem says creates much more anxiety on the other side than we thought. "We alleged so many things to this man, we couldn't prove any of them. Let this not be heard." They are not afraid to slander, or let me not say slander, to allege, but they also have no concern like proving it. They are trying to prevent Mayor Ekrem from proving his innocence. If you are alleging something, you will listen to the counter-defense. If you prove it, you are right. If the defendant proves what he says. It is as terrible as them preventing this. I saw that the trial is political and the decision has already been made, that the duty is conviction one way or another, and that they have taken it upon themselves as a duty that this defense is not heard by the public.

• How do you evaluate the fact that the releases are fewer than expected?

It was a political trial and it is clear that the purpose is to keep the friends inside for now. Otherwise, you held a trial, the penalty to be requested is clear. He has served his time, let him go now. No, it is like Mussolini's pre-execution, he is executing now. He is not holding a trial right now, he is executing. He has convicted everyone in his own mind.

News Source: 12punto