Referendum Signal For Gezi Park
PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan came together with a 11-member delegation to discuss on the Gezi Resistance. Held in AKP’s headquarters in Ankara, the meeting lasted 4.5 hours.
Hüseyin Çelik, AKP Deputy Chairman and Party spokesperson, made a statement.
“PM Erdoğan said the transformation project concerning Gezi Park might be asked to Istanbulites, a referendum might be held in Istanbul on the issue.
“The government will not accept these protest to last forever. I think Gezi Park youth are likely to leave the park after this meeting.”
“Meeting delegates express that significant chunk of Gezi Park activists are those who were polarized due to environment-related sensitivities. They also say that those who cause property damage are not one of them and they don’t appreciate their actions.
“PM said police officers who used excessive force or violated its duties will be punished if found guilty. He also underlined the importance of good intentions and peaceful opinions. The voices of those who raised their concerns have been heard. Even if you support them or not. I am speaking on PM’s behalf, our hearts and doors are open to people who have legitimate demands.
“Some hit the road to harm AKP but those harm our country indeed. We have come up with these projects after consulting several experts. They are demanding to suspend these projects until the upcoming municipal elections. This is not feasible for us. PM said: “If the voice of people is important, then we can bring the possibility of a referendum to our institutions”.
“The solid conclusion of this meeting is that we will ask Istanbulites and take the matter to referendum. We will ask people whether they want to see this project realized or not. And we will respect what the people will say.
“Therefore the park needs to be evicted as soon as possible. Local businesses around the area suffered massively. There has been implications on the image of our country. If these matter to you, please listen to our appeal.”
Names of the delegates were as follows:
Theater artists Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan, academicians Prof. Dr. Betül Tanbay, Prof. Dr. Hale Çıracı and İpek Akpınar, director Kutluğ Ataman, student Nil Eyüpoğlu, art director Rumeysa Kiger, architect Selva Gürdoğan, social media expert Zehra Öney, student Zülfikar Kürüm ve Bülent Peker who wrote an open letter to PM Erdoğan through social media. (EKN/BM)
* This article has been compiled from Radikal and CNNTürk news websites.