Özgür Özer responds to Erdogan: “If we want to normalize, we should start with retirees and workers.”
Özer said he hopes that all countries in the world will recognize the Palestinian state and take strict measures against Israel’s crimes against humanity, massacres and genocide, and said, “As the founder of our country, Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, said, we want peace for Palestine. “O homeland, we want peace for the world. After this wonderful holiday, we now want peace. ” “We hope that there will be no more tears of children and mothers, that there will be no more wars in our country or anywhere in the world, and that everyone will be able to live in peace from now on.”
Özer made the following assessment in response to a journalist’s question about remarks made by AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to journalists on an airplane upon his return from a visit to Italy and Spain:
“I’m sure the president said on the plane yesterday, ‘Some people could not digest our return visit.’ We are not taking his words seriously because we are the ones who started this. It happened right in front of everyone’s eyes. He is probably relaying this again to his alliance partners. The problem here is that our People’s Alliance partners are communicating through us. They should communicate directly, one-on-one, like we do during Ramadan and Eid al-Adha, if they want. Let them say good things to each other and bad things to each other.
The problem here is that their unity has unfortunately brought unemployment and poverty to this country. Right now, there are unions in this country who are announcing the price of wheat and tea below cost, and we are worried that they will announce the price of hazelnuts below cost, and we are worried that they will announce the price of raisins below cost. Here is the problem. If not, then they should get along and stay together and no one is against their unity, but if this unity creates hunger, poverty, misery and unemployment, then this is the problem. I am trying to solve these problems. “Once again, I wish a happy Eid to both leaders, party members and voters of all political parties, regardless of their political views.”
“No hope” for midterm minimum wage hike
In response to a question about whether the interim salary increase for minimum wage workers and the July salary increase rate for retirees were on the agenda during his meeting with President Tayyip Erdogan, Ezer said the issue was also discussed, but he did not receive any signal that such a move could give them great hope.
Ezell said he got the impression that retirees would be given below-inflation raises and the minimum wage would not be raised, and said, “This is unacceptable to us. If this happens, we cannot remain silent. This is a problem. Normalization should not lead to politicians who have been arguing for years not saying anything to each other, but rather to those who have not been able to get their rights for years. It should start with retirees and workers, we will not be satisfied until they are satisfied, and if the minimum wage is not raised, we will take to the streets and give the harshest response.”
Entry should be restricted to Israeli passport holders
Regarding the process of drafting a new constitution, Ezell said, “I think there is no point in discussing a new constitution as long as the current one is being violated.”
Asked if he was considering submitting a motion to restrict Israeli passport holders from entering Turkey, Ezer said, “In Turkey, it is the executive branch that is empowered with regards to passports and the procedures that are implemented, not the legislative branch, i.e. the parliament.” Regarding possible Palestinian support and sanctions against Israel on this issue, he said, “Whatever steps the government takes, at this point we are ready to discuss and support them. As the executive branch, the legislative assembly and the main opposition party, we are ready to provide any kind of support.”
Hamas’ response to civilians
As he left the mosque, CHP Chairman Ozgür Ozer responded to a citizen who said, “You are responding to Israel, but you also consider Hamas a terrorist organization,” by saying, “On the morning of Eid, listen to me. I wrote a letter to the mosque. Do you know what I said? I said, ‘Recognize Palestine.’ If Spain recognized Palestine, I did so with my letter. If they drop a bomb on us while we are sleeping at night, it is wrong. If it kills him, it is wrong. “I travel all over the world, and the president thanked me and said, ‘You are fighting for Palestine.’ So, do you know what you are saying on the morning of Eid?” he said.
***
AKP President Erdogan responded to Ozgür Özer’s response to Bahçeli’s call for an alliance by saying, “We should not impose accomplices on us.” Erdogan said, “We said that we would soften politics with a second visit, but people who did not understand that held a press conference in Istanbul and were clearly under the influence of someone. This means that they got approval from somewhere. These, of course, are not right or good things. They do not contribute to the process. Therefore, they could not understand it. Even if the head of the CHP could understand our second visit, he would not do so. Such a statement needs to be made.”
