‘Parliament, Foreign Ministry by-passed’ in handling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - File

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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu held his weekly group meeting at the Parliament yesterday (March 1). He criticized the "security summit" convened at the Presidential complex in Ankara amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Addressing President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said:

"You invited the party spokesperson, group deputy chair, deputy party chair. You invited all useless men, brought the state officials, too, and called it the 'national security summit'. What security summit are you talking about? Do those unable to govern the state hold a security summit?"

The summit was held at the Presidential complex in the capital city and chaired by President and AKP Chair Erdoğan 6 days ago. It was attended by Vice President Fuat Oktay, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, AKP Deputy Chair Binali Yıldırım, AKP Group Chair İsmet Yılmaz, AKP Vice Chair and Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik, Chief of General Staff Yaşar Güler, National Security Organization (MİT) Chair Hakan Fidan, Chair of Presidency's Communications Directorate Fahrettin Altun and Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu was in Kazakhstan.

'Based on what law was it done?'

Referring to the "war or conflict" between Russia and Ukraine, Kılıçdaroğlu recalled that when the incident happened, he was in Denizli province for a meeting. Calling CHP Group Deputy Chair Engin Altay before the meeting, Kılıçdaroğlu reportedly told him that the Parliament should have an emergency meeting. He also "called the other constituents of the alliance and shared his opinions with them as well."

Kılıçdaroğlu said, "On the same day when the incident happened, Mr. Erdoğan also convened a security summit. Good, no one mentioned it, but I am curious: On which law is the security summit based? Is there a legal basis for it? I do not remember such an institution."

'National Security Council should convene'

Further in his speech at the weekly group meeting, Kılıçdaroğlu said:

"I looked to see who attended it. If the summit is a summit of the state, there is an institution for this: The National Security Council (NSC).

"Yes, the NSC should convene. But if you set aside this institution, build a parallel structure and turn this parallel structure that you have built into a party, then, it means that we have a serious problem!

"How could the party spokesperson of AK Party speak on behalf of the state? I feel sorry for the situation that the state has found itself in."

'No one has come to inform the MPs'

Recalling that a meeting was held at the Parliament afterwards, Kılıçdaroğlu criticized that no official from the executive came to the Parliament to inform the MPs about the developments in Ukraine. Kılıçdaroğlu said, "This is the first time that I see and witness that the state has decayed, it has been trampled upon and defamed to such an extent. A disgrace..."

The CHP Chair defined it as an "unbearable picture for Turkey" that AKP Parliamentary Group Deputy Chair Muhammet Emin Akbaşoğlu made a statement about the issue. Kılıçdaroğlu said:

"The state cannot be trampled upon. It has an institutional structure. Is it so hard to assign the Minister of National Defense? Or, at least, let someone from the Foreign Ministry come and give information.

"There is a war going on right under our nose. We are one of the countries affected the most. You convene a summit called the 'security summit', you completely by-pass the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), you completely by-pass the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the spokesperson of the party comes up and makes a statement on behalf of the state!"

Referring to President Erdoğan's statements about the developments in Ukraine over the past week, Kılıçdaroğlu said:

"Erdoğan makes a statement and says, 'I indicate that we find Russia's military operation against Ukraine unacceptable and we reject it.' Then, you go to the Council of Europe and abstain from the vote. Why? You say one thing and do the exact opposite the next day. If you had convened the National Security Council, you would not be zigzagging like this." (AS/SD)