Six opposition leaders meet: Memorandum of understanding to be issued in 2 weeks

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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In a meeting in Ankara on Saturday (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.

Meeting at the Çankaya Municipality's Ahlatlıbel Facilities in the capital city, the leaders have released a written statement following the meeting.

According to the statement, the memorandum of understanding that the leaders have reached an agreement on about the new government system will be declared to the public on February 28.

Defining the day as "a historic day for Turkey", the leaders have said, "As six different political parties, we have come together for a historic undertaking, which Turkey has been hoping to see for years."

"As the parties which prepared the Memorandum of Understanding on the Reinforced Parliamentary System, we are determined to build a strong, libertarian, democratic and fair system where an effective and participatory legislative, a transparent and accountable governance, an impartial and independent judiciary and separation of powers are established."

Referring to the situation in Turkey as "one of the deepest political and economic crises in the history of the Republic", the statement has said, "Social, political and economic problems are taking a grave effect with each passing day," defining the "the arbitrary and unruly governance under the Presidential Government System" as the "most important reason" behind it.

The leaders of the six opposition parties have reiterated that "their shared and primary aim is to adopt the Reinforced Parliamentary System" in Turkey, noting that they have "agreed to work and agree on a route map for this transition period and to share it with citizens."

According to the statement, the party chairs also discussed the current economic and social developments in the country and exchanged opinions as to the fields where the parties could work together for the policies to be introduced in Turkey after the elections.

Underlining that "there is no problem in Turkey that cannot be solved with negotiation and consensus", the leaders have said:

"What matters is to build a democratic Turkey where the notion of 'us' with our all differences and fundamental rights and freedoms within the frame of the Council of Europe and European Union norms are guaranteed, where everyone sees themselves as equal and free citizens, where they can express their opinions freely and where they can live as they believe."

They have added that they aim to "ensure transparency, equality, impartiality and meritocracy in public administration, wage an effective struggle against corruption and adopt the Political Ethics Law, thereby ensuring that political positions have no other aim than serving the nation." (AÖ/SD)