CHP Chair Kılıçdaroğlu: One-Man Rule Shrinks the Economy

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Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has spoken at his party's workshop on local administrations in Afyon.

Kılıçdaroğlu has stated that since the presidential system was adopted in Turkey, the national income has fallen by 135 million dollars and income per capita has decreased from 10 thousand 849 to 9 thousand 76 dollars.

Some highlights from his speech are as follows:

'When there is division of powers, there is trust in state'

"Today, one of the main problems of Turkey is the trust in politics. If there is division of powers, then, there is trust in state.

"If the court treats me fairly when someone does me an injustice, then, it means that I live in that country safe and secure.

"You cannot build sound policies upon mistrust. If the words of one person are accepted at court, by the legislative power, if the executive takes action upon a single word by him, then people will live in a society without trust.

'Our economy has grown by 3 per thousand'

"Since the one-man rule was adopted, our growth rate has become 3 per thousand. Are there any other countries in the world like Turkey? Why have we fallen to 3 per thousand? But you were saying that there were no obstacles in our way... You said there would be an increase in our national income. Our national income has fallen by 135 million dollars.

"I want all our citizens to know this truth: If the annual cost of one man is 135 million dollars, you have to think about it in terms of national income. We have to explain it to people.

"The per capita income was 10 thousand 849 dollars in the past, it has fallen to 9 thousand 76 dollars during the one-man rule. It is not for nothing that we say 'The kitchen is on fire.' While we used to buy half kilo meat in the past, we can now only buy it by grams.

'Trust in the judiciary is 38 percent'

"We used to say that the judiciary was independent. Today, the prestige of Turkey has been damaged in the eyes of all democratic countries.

"Why is the rule of law deteriorating in the State of the Republic of Turkey?

"We have deteriorated in terms of press freedom as well. The number of journalists behind bars is 134. The trust in the judiciary is 38 percent.

'Institutions do not trust each other'

"Institutions of the state fulfil their own duties. No political interventions can be made in their functioning.

"The prestige of Central Bank is zero. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) is the only parliament that led a national independence war in the world. Can we talk about a trust between state institutions?" (EKN/SD)

* Photograph: Arif Yavuz - Afyon/AA