CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu: We Would Say ‘Yes’ to Snap Election
* Photo: AA / Archive
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Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu answered the questions of İsmail Küçükkaya from Fox TV earlier today (November 21).
Main opposition CHP Chair Kılıçdaroğlu addressed a series of issues, including the call for a snap elections made by the Peoples' Democratic Party yesterday and the foundation which was established by a Statutory Decree, reportedly collected a donation of 309 million lira, but could not be found at its declared address by CHP MPs.
Some highlights from CHP Chair's answers are as follows:
'Where is 309 million lira now?'
(Regarding the Solidarity with Martyrs' Relatives and Veterans Foundation of Turkey established after July 15 coup attempt in 2016) "Who spoke the most on July 15? It was Erdoğan. Who launched the campaign, saying that they would help the families of July 15 martyrs and veterans? Erdoğan. Were accounts opened? Yes, they were. Did citizens make donations to these accounts by pinching and saving? Yes, they did.
"Two years ago, the minister said that 309 million lira was collected. Now, we are asking: How much money are we talking about here? We cannot get any answers about this money. We found the address of the foundation and went there. There is no such a foundation at that address. Where is this address cited? It is cited in a court verdict. Who misinformed the court? The political power-holders did. If I were a judge, I would arrest the ones who misinformed me. This money needs to be clarified.
"I am asking now: Where is this 309 million lira? It is the money of the citizens. The Directorate General for Foundations published it on the Official Gazette, we found the address as well. We went there, but there is no such foundation. They say that the money is in the account of Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services. Why is it in that account? It needs to be in the account of the foundation. The asset value of the foundation was announced as 10 million lira on the Official Gazette. Where is 299 million lira, then?"
'We have turned the whole world against us'
(Regarding snap elections) "A single person needs to make a decision so that a snap election can be held, because there is one-man rule in Turkey. The moment Erdoğan says, 'Let's have a snap election', the MHP and AK Party will come together and decide for a snap election at the Parliament.
"If they make such an offer, we can say, 'OK, let's hold a snap election.' We will actually say that. Just ask tradespeople and farmers, they are miserable. Industrialists say, 'I cannot see the future.' Foreign policy is in a deadlock, we cannot leave the Syria swamp, we have turned the whole world against us. We do not know when we will have elections in such an environment: Today? Next morning? A week later or as scheduled? If they wish, they can bring it next morning and we will say 'Yes' to snap election." (DB/SD)