* Photo: HDP

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The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İzmir Provincial Organization held its 4th Ordinary Congress yesterday (February 13).

The congress was dedicated to late Deniz Poyraz, who was killed in an armed attack at the HDP İzmir office on June 17, 2021.

At the congress hall, there were banners in Kurdish and Turkish demanding justice for Deniz Poyraz as well as former HDP MP and ill prisoner Aysel Tuğluk and all ill prisoners and protesting war, plunder, racism, destruction of nature and male violence among many others.

Greeting the party members at the congress in Kurdish and Turkish, HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan thanked the former İzmir co-chairs for their efforts and extended her wishes for success to their successors.

'Turkey, politics without HDP won't work'

Making a speech at the congress, HDP Co-Chair Buldan referred to the court cases brought against the HDP and the summaries of proceedings issued against its MPs. Buldan briefly said:

"We know that you aim for a political life and Parliament in Turkey where there is no HDP. But you will fail to do it because our peoples will not let it. Turkey and politics without the HDP have not worked out and will not work out. We have and will continue to show them this one more time."

Referring to the massacre of Deniz Poyraz in the provincial office of the 3rd biggest political party of Turkey, Buldan said:

We know that there is especially a mentality trying to cover up this murder after massacring her. We know very well who massacred Deniz Poyraz; we know the organized force behind it very well. This murderer is not a lone murderer; there is an organized force behind him. We know who stands behind this plan, these organizations, this force.

Reminding the audience of the past massacres in Çorum, Maraş, Sivas, Roboski, İstanbul's Gazi, Ankara and Suruç, Pervin Buldan said, "We know it very well from the massacres committed there."

'Price increases are openly robbery'

Further in her statement, HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan also referred to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) within the context of increasing inflation rates and people's decreasing purchasing power in Turkey.

"They have dragged Turkey to darkness with all-time-high increases in electricity prices in history," said HDP's Buldan, raising concerns that "Turkey has been going through such a period that it has been facing the biggest poverty and corruption in its entire history."

Noting that the price increases introduced in Turkey are "openly robbery", Pervin Buldan stated, "The high bills delivered to houses are bills of racketeering and robbery. And the entire people knows it."

'Our way is the third way'

In her statement, HDP Co-Chair Buldan also referred to the meeting of the six opposition leaders in Ankara a day before.

In this meeting in the capital city on February 12, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, İYİ Party Chair Meral Akşener, Felicity Party (SP) Chair Temel Karamollaoğlu, Future Party Chair Ahmet Davutoğlu, Democrat Party Chair Gültekin Uysal and DEVA Party Chair Ali Babacan came together upon Kılıçdaroğlu's invitation.

Speaking within this context, Buldan briefly said:

"Yesterday, the chairs of six political parties came together. All hell broke loose on social media after this meeting. Some people asked why the HDP was not there. We do not recognize the ones who do not recognize us; let it be known. When the time comes, we know very well how to ignore the ones who ignore us. We will keep on walking on our way. Our way is the third way. One day, everyone will depend on this third way.

"We are - of course - determined to foster a democratic opposition and a unity in struggle. This way that we call the democracy alliance is a unity in struggle. This union of forces is both a historical and social need. We rebuild this hope. Turkey's way out of this multiple crises is to meet in the most powerful democracy alliance." (RT/SD)