HDP's Danış-Beştaş slams government over the 'gang of five' bill

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Parliamentary Group Deputy Chair Meral Danış-Beştaş has held a press conference, where she talked about the "gang of five" bill and the economic crisis.

"We are facing a disaster where 30 million people are living below the starvation line. Meanwhile, the deputy minister of culture and tourism has a salary of 313,000 Turkish lira.

"In just three years, tenders worth 140 billion lira [94 million USD] were awarded to firms, as if there was a war. Relatives, children of government officials continue to make embarrassing videos with luxury cars. The oligarchs of the palace are buying one jet after another. There is the one percent living in luxury, and the people."

"Buffalo yogurt"

"Last week, [President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan visited Tokat and met farmers. The farmers expected solutions with great excitement. They expressed their troubles and offered solutions. They sought a solution from the president.

"Do you know what happened? Listening to these problems in Tokat, the president said, 'Eat buffalo yogurt.' This is not a joke, he really said this. They continue to make fun of the people.

"The gang of five"

"Last week, we said 'Let's probe the gang of five.' They refused. Now they are banning talking about the gang of five with a new law proposal.

• Five business groups with close ties to the government that have undertaken most of the country's large-scale infrastructure projects with lucrative deals are dubbed as "the gang of five" by the opposition.

"A law proposal was submitted on Friday. There are scandalous articles in this law proposal. It is banned to say 'the gang of five' and amnesty is offered for tax evaders.

"Journalists who say 'the gang of five' will be sentenced to three to five years in prison. This will be regarded as creating distrust against and discrediting companies ... Is there anyone but you who respects or trust them?

"This gang loomed over the citizens like a nightmare. Now a special law for them is brought up." (AS/VK)