NEW Party leader Özgür Özel answered the questions of our newspaper writer Işık Kansu, our Ankara Representative Sertaç Eş and our reporter Sarp Sağkal about the agenda.
- There have been a lot of mayor transfers recently. Do you make any self-criticism about this?
Let's do it. I am someone who has also apologized for the mistakes made by Kemal Bey (Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu) in the past. But there is a situation like this. I feel very sad too, I wish my head would have been broken. But something is being done that has never happened in the past. Threats of imprisonment are made. Close friends and families are threatened. There are 12 differences in the municipal council, they make 6 transfers. For example, sometimes they ask, 'Who wrote these municipal council members?'
Most of them came out of the primaries. For example, there were 6 transfers, half of them were from the primary elections. They use methods such as going from person to evidence. We took office with the congress of November 4-5, and we achieved the greatest success in history with the method we implemented on the evening of March 31. Now they ask me, 'Are you going to be self-critical?' I consider this unfair not to myself, but to history. There has never been a mayor transfer in the past. There is no such method as character analysis or fear-stress test when determining a candidate. Such a dishonorable, despicable attack on municipalities is something that has never happened in history. Now, 'Why didn't you foresee this?' Who predicted this and I didn't see it? While determining the mayors, we first sent delegations to the cities. Then these delegations looked at the candidate candidates and narrowed down the serious candidates to a certain number. Then we looked at the candidates who would win through the poll. We did not look at these candidates as 'Who supported us and who did not support us'.
Mr. Kemal appeared on television the other day and said, 'Those who commit corruption go to the NEW Party, the AKP.' More than the friends who came to the NEW Party, no one went to the AKP. But there are those who remain in CHP. In fact, no investigation has been opened yet against those who came to the NEW Party. This does not mean that 'those who remain in CHP are guilty'. But Mr. Kemal unrealistically says, 'Those who come to the NEW Party go to the AKP.' That's why we are faced with a terrible frenzy of lies and slander. We look at all our friends as follows: 'No one can be handed over to political operations.' But for example, Mr. Kemal says 'I have doubts' to Hüseyin Can Güner, who has only one file and there is no public harm in it, just because he is a reformist. But on the other hand, he goes to visit Etimesgut, a place that has more than 50 files and has remained in the CHP. They say 'Purify', but they say 'Those who are with us are innocent, those who are in favor of change are guilty'. They did this first to Ekrem İmamoğlu. That's why the words of 'Apologise, Özgür Özel' of the bullies who have become AKP's tools... The candidate I never changed in the party, Kemal Bey announced, was Aydın. He went to AKP. Kemal Bey's princess, Afyon Mayor, went to AKP.
'THEY AMONG THEMSELVES FLED TO AKP'
We are asking the people of Izmir even when we are electing district leaders. We have no problem saying goodbye to Izmir. But I cannot remain silent when a team whose own staff went to the AKP and cooperated with the AKP turns back and says, "Apologize to us." On the other hand, they all have votes for the candidates. Today, both the spokesperson of the bull and those in his management...
For example; Bursa Deputy under the administration of Butlan took part in the Bursa Desk. They determined all the candidates together. He started his speech by thanking the Bursa Desk. The bullies voted for the chairmen who emerged from the entire Party Assembly. They did not write a dissenting opinion to anyone, now they are blaming us. If there is a responsibility; Those who cooperate with the AKP and commit the crime of dividing the party, creating divisions in municipal councils and causing mayors to panic. Those with character weaknesses, such as the mayors of Izmir, Aydın and Afyon, go to the AKP when their own irregularities are brought to light in such periods. We are in a period where those who do not join the AKP are imprisoned and those who do are called to the stand. I am not going to surrender to a mentality that comes to the victim and holds him accountable, not the thief. Every citizen of Izmir may owe us an accounting, and we may owe them an apology. But they voted for each of the candidates. The strongest among them were the first to flee to the AKP.
'THEY WANT TO TURN THE ISSUE INTO AN OPPOSITION DEBATE'
- The latest operations were in Mersin. There is increasing pressure. Where do you think this process is going?
They are getting harder and harder. The whole point is to turn this into a debate within the opposition. When we first founded the NEW Party, I said, "If necessary, all the mayors should remain there, as long as there is no majority debate in the municipal councils." The government tries to intimidate and offend opposition voters by showing their 'power'; He is trying to give up hope on the ballot box. It is necessary to fight against this all together. It is necessary to distinguish between those who pretend to be opposition and those who risk their lives. The opposition structure preferred by the Palace, trying to legitimize itself, has given up; The opposition is trying to demoralize voters. We will not allow them to injure an opposition front that is willing to die.
'NATION WILL NOT CAPTURE THE BOX'
- Citizens have concerns that 'This process will lead to the removal of the ballot box'. Do you think such a thing would happen?
Their goal is to create this feeling. It is impossible not to have a ballot box in this country. His hand reaching for the ballot box; The nation that appreciates democracy and the republic will break it. The aim here is not to miss the ballot box, but rather to break faith in the ballot box. You should not fall into this game. Korkut Boratav said, "Social explosion in these lands can happen at the ballot box." The greatest evil that can be done to this country today is to lose hope in the ballot box. If one day they miss the chest, people will chase the kidnapper to the place where he escaped. He takes the chest from her, brings it to them, and sends them to the dustbin of history. This nation does not give up the ballot box that easily.
'IF THERE IS A FRIENDLY ADMINISTRATION IN CHP...'
- What kind of work do you do regarding ballot box security?
To become a ballot box officer, you need to be in the top five places in the last election. NEW Party has not entered the elections yet. That's why he doesn't have the right to be a polling officer. We had prepared 186 thousand polling officers. Now 182 thousand of them are with us. But they will not be able to become official ballot box officials. Of course, there is the possibility of making them observers and polling officials with opposition parties. But on the other hand, the nullity case is being tried. The Supreme Court will discuss this issue in the coming days. If there is a friendly administration in the CHP after the Supreme Court discusses this decision and overturns the decision, important work can be done, at least in terms of ballot box officials. Otherwise, there is no doubt that today's administration will act with power at the ballot box. The AKP and this administration objected to the fact that he was the representative of the YENİ Party in the YSK. Our friends from the last CHP Party Assembly are still waiting. I find it important that those friends with whom we can cooperate for ballot box security in the election take over the administration. It didn't happen, something will be done by working with observers and other parties.
'WE DO NOT FORCE CANDIDATES IN NEITHER IZMIR OR ANKARA'
- There are complaints from members during internal party elections. There are people who say that they received support by saying 'I am the candidate of the headquarters'. What do you say to this?
The candidate chosen by the members is our crowning glory. We do not force a single candidate in any province, including Izmir, Ankara and Istanbul. There is no headquarters candidate anywhere. In fact, I last told those who asked in Ankara. We are neither against nor for the founding presidents. Of course, we thank their efforts in establishing it. But anyone can freely run for office in elections. The candidate chosen by the member is the candidate of the headquarters. This issue is also asked for Izmir. It's the same for him. There are no obstacles to free competition in Izmir. Otherwise, if we did anything, it would be hypocritical. There is no candidate preferred by the headquarters. There is no obstacle to candidacy. Everyone should vote for the candidate they want. Maybe in the future, there will be processes where mayors and parliamentary candidates are determined by primary elections.
'THERE ARE NAMES LEAKED BY THEMSELVES'
- The proposal to establish an investigation commission in the Parliament for the funding crisis was rejected. Statements such as 'the right not to be tarnished' came from the AKP. How would you evaluate the latest situation in the crisis?
It is the concealment of these names that paves the way for lies and slander. And being used as a tool for throne fights within the AKP. Otherwise, there are a lot of lists floating around. Politicians are trying to verify these names. We did not disclose the names without verifying them. There was only someone with the same name as Minister Mahinur Göktaş's father. We apologize to him, but does the right not to be tarnished belong only to AKP politicians? The cure for the right not to be tarnished is transparency. A CHP municipal council member, mayor or bureaucrat; He testifies in a confidential investigation, and the statement begins to circulate in the pro-government press before the lawyer leaves the prosecutor's office.
All photos taken from the mobile phone of the person who is not related to the investigation are being served. While this is the case when you are in opposition, when you are in the AKP, they say 'Our friends should not be tarnished'. They opened a repentance account and say, 'Leave the sin here.' Such a thing does not happen. There are names that they leak themselves. Someone working under a pseudonym in the Ministry of Justice is doing such things by managing internal party operations. Maybe Ms. Mahinur understands other children and fathers now. They have been doing this to Hasan İmamoğlu for 1.5 years. They dug up the garden of his house in the village. There is a lien on his pension, his account is frozen. We invite Ms. Mahinur to the Family Solidarity Network. Let him see those who have been suffering for months like his father went through for 10 minutes.
'THERE ARE IMPORTANT NAMES FROM AKP'
- Mr. Ümit Özlale said that he would announce a list on Monday. Are there any important names on that list?
There are important names from AKP. It is important to verify these names. It is possible that wrong names are knowingly served. We declare that we have verified it. The government's responsibility is to explain the entire list. Allegations that the Ministry of Justice bureaucracy is involved in this matter at a high level increase concerns on this issue.
- Why do they leak?
One is due to internal party conflict. Secondly, to draw attention elsewhere. 'Let someone else discuss, not us'. There are those who do this job for themselves, and there are also bag sellers. In fact, baggers have baggers so that the bond can be severed.
'THE CONSTITUTION IS IGNORED IN THE MECCA AGREEMENT'
- Even sending soldiers based on the Mecca Agreement, which has not been passed by the Parliament, is on the agenda. How would you rate it?
Both Articles 90 and 92 of the Constitution are being trampled on. Article 90 of the Constitution tells how an international agreement will come into force. This agreement is not an international agreement. A statement of intent. In order for it to turn into an agreement, it must have a format, a beginning and an end. This should come to both the National Defense and Foreign Affairs commissions. It must be sent to the Parliament and come into force with an open vote, seeing who votes for what. This is such serious business. There is a paper, there are a few lines of words on it, a few signatures. It cannot come to this Parliament in that format anyway. But meetings are being held as if they had arrived.
A commitment is made to send troops. Article 92 of the Constitution requires the permission of the Parliament to send soldiers. So, even if an agreement is reached, Parliament's permission is still required. Here we have a situation that completely tramples on the constitution. I called out to Erdoğan several times. Tear up the Parliament page of the Constitution, tear up Article 90 and Article 92. Tomorrow, we will tear up the presidential powers. In fact, this was the reason why we did not listen to him on the first day of the Parliament. Someone who ignores the Parliament has arrived and is opening the Parliament. 'I made an agreement in Mecca, I am sending Mehmetçik' There is no such thing. If it considers its own legitimacy important, it must respect the existence of other institutions and the constitution. We will continue to discuss this issue on the floor of the parliament.
