Özgür Özel speaks clearly: 'We have no more business with them!'

The Republican People's Party's (CHP) highly anticipated Charter Congress has begun at the ATO Congresium.

Former CHP Chairmen Hikmet Çetin and Altan Öymen, former SHP Chairman Murat Karayalçın, members of the party's Central Executive Board and Party Assembly, members of parliament, Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş, numerous mayors, and party members attended.

Banners featuring the CHP logo and the slogan "Turkey's leading party" under the title "Second Century Change Congress" were hung in the hall where the congress is being held.

Among the banners hung in the area where the congress is taking place was the party's new election slogan: "Every problem has a solution, the Republican People's Party."

CHP leader Özgür Özel made statements at his party's Change Congress.

Highlights from Özel's statements are as follows:

"Those who spoke to television channels when they were not nominated, those who resigned and left, those who stayed in the party but acted coldly, and those who did not stand by the mayoral candidate have taken their place in history.

But we have also noted those who left this party, went elsewhere as independents, ran as candidates from there, caused our party to lose the election, and tried to contribute to the AK Party's victory. We have no more business with them.

Those who ran as candidates against this party due to their personal ambitions should stay where they ran. In that period, those mistakes will not be made again, and they will not hold office in this party. I am stating this clearly.

MEETING WITH ERDOĞAN AND LEADERS

Stating that he has been in contact with all political party leaders, including AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, since being elected CHP Chairman, Özel said, "In every meeting I held, I only brought the people's problems to the agenda."

NORMALIZATION DISCUSSIONS

Explaining the process leading up to his meetings with Erdoğan, Özel said, "Some called it 'softening' before we called it 'normalization.' After a while, they also started using 'normalization.' The public's favor for this process emerged in all research. Because this is the normal."

Noting that "the nation's problems have remained unresolved because politics has deviated from its normal for years," Özel said that he would not allow those who say, "You must vote for me, or they will lower the flag, silence the call to prayer, and divide the homeland," to question their nationalism or other values.

Özel concluded his remarks by saying, "The meeting we held is neither an alliance meeting with the AK Party nor a meeting to join the People's Alliance," adding that they would not adopt any attitude outside of this, and that their political rivals had no such request either.

Regarding the new constitution discussions, Özel stated, "Now is not the time to talk about a new constitution; there is a need for a new parliament that will draft that new constitution and a strong executive will that will put a strong will into it. We did not refrain from saying, 'The time for that is the CHP government.'"

IF A MAGIC WAND TOUCHES THE GOVERNMENT, A NEW CONSTITUTION COMES TO THE AGENDA

Özel continued his remarks: "If a magic wand touches this government tomorrow, if they comply with all ECHR and Constitutional Court decisions starting tomorrow morning, if they implement the separation of powers, if they eliminate the executive's dominance over the parliament and the judiciary, if they compensate for their past mistakes in this regard and do not make new mistakes, the CHP may lend an ear to new constitution discussions."

NORMALIZATION: THEY CONTINUED TO DO AS THEY PLEASED

Reminding that after a few positive steps in the normalization process, Taksim was closed to workers on May 1st, Can Atalay remained in prison, the minimum wage was not increased sufficiently, and the trustee policy continued, Özel said, "They continued to do as they pleased and insist on their mistakes in all matters. They went so far as to say, 'There is nothing abnormal in Turkey.'"

Özel added: "They are worried that normalization is benefiting the CHP, so they want to harden their stance, fight, and return to the old Turkey. We see what they are doing, and we will not fall for this game."

"YOU CANNOT TAILOR THE CHARTER TO YOURSELF"

Making evaluations regarding the charter changes, Özel said, "Making a charter is like making a constitution. If you are making one, you cannot tailor it to yourself. This is no different from making a constitution for Erdoğan. The charter is a matter of common consensus and organizational consensus."

"THIS CHARTER IS NEITHER MINE NOR KEMAL BEY'S"

Explaining the preparation process for the Charter Congress, Özel said that the charter is not Özgür Özel's charter. Stating that both his and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's commitments were incorporated into the draft charter, Özel said, "We came together with our esteemed Chairman (Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu) regarding the charter, and we sent the draft to him via email last night. He stated that he would convey it if he had any suggestions." Özel added, "This charter is neither mine, nor Kemal Bey's, nor the previous chairmen's, nor Zeynel Emre's, nor Gül Hanım's."

A DRAFT TO BE PROUD OF, NOT TO BE FEARED, HAS EMERGED

Stating that they faced many smear campaigns and fear-mongering processes regarding the charter preparations, Özel said, "A draft to be proud of, not to be feared, has emerged and was accepted by the commission unanimously," and continued: "No one loses when this charter passes; this organization wins. I would find it worrying if this charter were not embraced by this organization."

"ALL OF US, INCLUDING THE CHAIRMAN, WILL ENTER THE PRIMARY"

Touching upon the charter amendment article regarding the 3-term limit for elected CHP members, Özel said that a proposal was made in the Charter Commission to "have an exemption for the chairman regarding the term limit." Stating that he did not accept this proposal, Özel said, "All of us, including the Chairman, will enter the primary."

PRESSURE TO COLLECT SIGNATURES AT CONGRESSES WILL BE LIFTED

Stating that the regulation regarding chairmen running for re-election with 5 percent of signatures caused pressure on delegates, Özel said that the article "If the incumbent chairman wants to be a candidate, there is no need to collect signatures; they are a candidate upon request" has been incorporated into the charter.

İMAMOĞLU STATEMENT

"While we are marching toward power, some see our march and the determination in this march. For this reason, they are trying to design politics through the judiciary, which they have completely turned into an apparatus for themselves. Two important developments have taken place in this regard in recent weeks.

One is the attempt to design politics in Turkey through purposeful, ugly information leaks regarding the file of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu, which has been kept pending for a long time without a decision.

Mr. İmamoğlu has expressed his stance against these efforts in the most determined and clear way. In my capacity as the party's chairman, I express on behalf of all our 1 million 460 thousand members with one voice that Mr. İmamoğlu's stance is our party's stance. The CHP stands with İmamoğlu. We will not entrust the darling of Istanbul, the favorite of our party, to anyone's evil eyes. We will not leave him to anyone's mercy. Everyone will know their place.

Details to follow..."

News Source: 12punto