Kılıçdaroğlu to take the CHP to 2019

İklim Öngel
 
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has become CHP general chair for the fifth time, having garnered 790 votes in the race for general chair in which he stood as a candidate backed by 1130 signatures. İnce, in turn, his candidacy backed by 163 signatures, took the votes of 447 delegates. At the congress at which a total of 1253 delegates voted, 1237 votes were deemed valid.
 
In the speech he made following his re-election as general chair, Kılıçdaroğlu said, “I am aware of the responsibility of the task I have assumed. This is no ordinary task and is most important. I promise that I will struggle in all ways to furnish every individual of this country with rights, law and justice. I know that today, in the environment we live in, there is nothing ordinary about being the general chair of the CHP. I also know that certain people will lose sleep, but we will carry through our just cause and Turkey’s cause to the end. We will defend justice, democracy, the law and living together. We will fight in unison to transport Turkey back to contemporary civilisation. This is what our good name demands. The upcoming process is not an ordinary one and we will struggle under arduous conditions. We want everyone to be on our side. Turkey is going through one of the toughest periods of its history. Those in power must give account for this. We want to live in peace and wellbeing and freely. I give you the guarantee and warranty of wellbeing. We have seven war fallen this evening, six of them in Afrin, and we are all very moved. We owe a debt of gratitude to our heroic soldiers and we ask God to bless their souls and send our condolences to the families and our people. Their fight is the fight for Turkey’s future. They are our honour. We have watered this soil with the blood of martyrs. The way to bring enlightenment to Turkey and to spare Turkey from questions over its survival is to stand up for our country. Atatürk, who knew war better than any, said, “War is murder when not obligatory.” The vista confronting us today is one that imposes an obligation. There are questions over survival and those who posed these questions are those who govern Turkey today. It is incumbent on us to call to account for this.”
 
Record applications for Party Assembly
 
Applications for the Party Assembly totalled 621. This figure constitutes a record compared to other years. Of the applications, 514 were for the Party Assembly and 107 for the Supreme Disciplinary Board. In the speech he made to his party’s 36^th Ordinary Congress, Kılıçdaroğlu promised to “break down walls” in opposition to oppression. Other important messages from Kılıçdaroğlu’s speech were as follow:
 
No one in the auditorium was taken in: There is nobody in this auditorium who was deceived by the terrorist organisation, set up negotiating tables, marched to the same destination with terrorist organisations, handed over the state’s private and intimate details, its cosmic room, i.e. its good name, to a terrorist organisation, turns round and asks what they did not give terrorist organisations, handed over the country’s territory to a terrorist organisation and fled from the Tomb of Suleyman Shah or set up companies on the Isle of Man to evade paying tax in their own country. There are just people of good repute who have sworn to be as courageous as those of ill repute. So, this is called justice and courage. We will promote justice and courage together.
 
Five basic problems: The year is 2018 and our country’s overall situation is that Turkey is confronted with five basic problems. There is a pessimistic outlook and this outlook deepens the worries and concerns. When they came to power in 2002, Turkey had one basic problem, one sometimes referred to as the Kurdish problem, sometimes as social peace and sometimes as the south-eastern problem. Now, in 2018, four more basic problems have been added. The democracy, the economy, education and foreign policy problems. These problems influence one another. We, the CHP, are a party that tackles each problem decisively and creates solutions.
 
We will cut it with Mustafa Kemal’s scissors: One of the basic problems is the economy. The economy is in extreme peril at the point we have reached. If you pay money to rentiers and usurers you end up collared. They have been collared by them and somehow cannot get free because they are joined at the umbilical cord. We will cut this umbilical cord with Mustafa Kemal’s scissors. We will consign poverty in this land to history in the first year.
 
We issue a challenge: We staged a justice march in conjunction with the referendum, after the referendum. We saw on this justice march that we were not alone. We showed, not just to Turkey, but to the world how justice had become debased. And we walked every millimetre of the 432 kilometres with pride and we issued a challenge to the world. We held a magnificent rally in Maltepe. At Maltepe, we were up against a wall. Now my promise to you at this congress is that we will demolish this wall. We don’t give a hoot about their walls. They are afraid of us because we resist all pressures and challenge them and whatever they can muster. It is now time to demolish the wall and set another wheel rolling. Now is the time for rights, law and justice.
 
Mustafa Kemal’s army
 
The fight is not for you: The terrorist organisation was crushed in 2002 and there was zero terrorism. The problem ceased to plague Turkey but those who came to power in 2002 first sat at the table with the terrorist organisation, then held meetings and invited them to Ankara. The terrorism that today threatens social peace has moved out of a narrow terrain and holds sway over a wider terrain. Today, our soldiers are in Afrin and our hearts and prayers are with them. Afrin calls for a national stance. We, too, as the CHP have clearly declared our national stance, but certain people are trying to convey this to society as their party’s decision. The army is Mustafa Kemal’s army, not yours, and the fight is not yours but is for Turkey. The delicate balance between the Kurdish problem and the terrorism problem must be enunciated very well. The party that will solve this problem is purely and simply the CHP. I give my word to the nation, we will bring peace to every stretch of Anatolian territory.
 
Syria criticism
 
Make contact with the Syrian government: We must bear the following question in our minds. With it crushed in 2002 in the Ecevit period, how has terrorism spread so much in 2018 and who has brought Turkey to this point? I want to issue a clear and blunt call from here. Make immediate contact with the Syrian government. Both the Syrian government and we support Syria’s territorial integrity. If Syria’s territorial integrity is to be ensured and if the bloodshed is to halt, relations must be formed with the Syrian government. A similar relationship must also be formed with the Iraqi central government.
 
They ran in with petrol
 
Get out of Turkey’s hair: Why did you go to Syria with a can of petrol and not a bucket of water? The point those in charge have brought us to today is Turkey’s survival being brought into debate. Those who comply with every instruction and suggestion given by both terrorist organisations and the dominant powers and then remain alone and then say to the nation, “They deceived us” need to get out of Turkey’s hair.
 
Lausanne is our certificate of honour
 
Are you longing for Sevres?: Foreign policy must be national. Those who have brought Turkey to this point have shamelessly and tirelessly brought Lausanne into debate. Lausanne is this country’s title deed. I say clearly and bluntly to those who have brought Lausanne into debate: “Are you longing for Sevres? Do you want Sevres?” Lausanne is the certificate of honour of the War of National Salvation that we fought. We will not permit anyone to bring this certificate of honour into debate. We will conduct foreign policy on a national basis. It will be founded on the country’s interests. We will live in peace with our neighbours.
 
I will put him in his place
 
İnce initially targeted Erdoğan for the comparison he had drawn between the Free Syrian Army and the National Independence Army. He criticised the CHP leadership and Central Executive Committee over the lifting of immunity.
 
Yalova MP Muharrem İnce, stepping onto the rostrum as candidate for CHP General Chair, railed against party leadership and General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for their “failure to be decisive and clear” over losing the election, immunities, presidential candidacy and basic policies chiefly the Kurdish problem. İnce gave the following messages in his speech:
 
One ignorant of history: Our people do not trust the judiciary. For our people not even to trust the judiciary is indicative of disaster. We cannot counter the lie machines for 45 minutes on Tuesdays. A significant section of our people believes these lie machines. As to the other section, they do not see us as the alternative. I am here to be a hope for them, for big change. One ignorant of history says the Free Syrian Army are the National Independence Army. The Free Syrian Army militants get wages of 300 dollars a month. The National Independence Army’s soldiers had no money to buy bread. What are you talking about, ignorant one? The National Independence Army fought against imperialism, it fought to liberate invaded territory. The Free Syrian Army has no struggle against imperialist states. Its concern is with Assad. When Assad goes that’s the end of their concerns.
 
Why did I stand?: Those leading the CHP are incapable of putting the one ignorant of history in his place, of replying. To those who say “İnce, why are you standing?” I am standing to put him in his place. The fate of the country is at the behest of one person. The so-called world leader is unaware that he is playing into the hands of imperialist powers.
 
Three problems become five: Turkey had three problems in 2002: poverty, corruption and prohibitions. Just as Turkey has compounded these problems, another two have been added. This land has seen nobody so mendacious and brazen-faced since 1071. They engage in treason and are deceived and no one is to blame. They get off the hook saying, “My Lord, forgive me.”
 
Secularism in danger: Our slogan in the seventies also applies today, “Neither oppressor nor oppressed – a humane and just order.” A democratic society protects democracy. Secularism is indispensable and secularism is in danger. We will become a society in which the will to live all together is strengthened. If we are not together, the same dire end awaits us all. This is why we must succeed.
 
We will stand by them even if they are from the AKP: If the imam of Dolmabahçe says they didn’t drink alcohol, we, the CHP, will stand by that imam. If marks are placed on Alevis’ houses in Malatya, we will stand by them without getting caught up in a complex about them calling the CHP the Alevi party. If bombs rain down on 12-year-old Kurdish children, we will stand by them. If a boss has his tenders cancelled because he opened his hotel to the resisting kids of Gezi, we will not say, “I’m on the left, so what?” but stand by him. We will also stand by AKP parliamentarians who fell into the Purple Brain trap and have been imprisoned and suffered injustice. We will stand by the oppressed and victims because they are people. We will stand by when bombs rain down in Uludere but we will stand by our war hero when seizure is made of his artificial leg. We will bring to an end the era of transfer leadership in this party.
 
Is it impossible for Kurds to say what is correct?: Berberoğlu is in jail. Could the CHP leadership possibly be to blame? I am sorry, everyone. Lifting of immunity was mooted and I said I would vote “No.” The CHP leadership said, “It is against the Constitution, but we will say, “Yes.” If it were today, I would still say, “No.” The fear was that if the HDP says, “No” and we said “No” they would lump both of us together. Is it impossible for Kurds to say what is correct? This logic is barmy. We will stand together with whoever says the correct thing. I said at that time, “Don’t go there. The CHP people’s turn will come.” One fine day the MHP says the correct thing, the HDP does on another and on another even the AKP does. We haven’t really seen that, though. I am sure of where I stand. I said “No” but the Central Executive Committee said “Yes,” and this is why the Central Executive Committee must be replaced. Hopefully, on being elected general chair this evening, I will entirely eradicate that Central Executive Committee which came out with that “Yes.”
 
Our general chair makes mistakes but is on the level
 
Those in power are happy with the CHP: There is a rulership that is forever being deceived. Next to it is an opposition that forever loses. It has imprisoned one part of the opposition and drawn the other to its side. They are happy with the CHP. They say, “Let it stay like this.” No, we will not do so. I will not make do with 26%.
 
Don’t boo, he’s on the level: If you elect me as general chair, I will hold a rulebook congress within 45 days. I will put an end to the disgrace over signatures. It will be forbidden to make statements of support for provincial chairs and the general chair. There will be a presidential candidate in 2019. I was deputy group chair in 2014. Our esteemed general chair had a poll conducted and the name of Büyükerşen came out with a majority. Of 130 MPs, 60 Party Asssembly members and 81 provincial chairs, none of them entered the name of Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, they didn’t actually know his name. (Booing in the auditorium) No booing. Boo those who make ill-gotten gains. Our general chair makes mistakes but is on the level. Make me general chair and the rulebook will change and 1.2 million members will elect the CHP’s candidate. I am nobody’s sharecropper and when I’m general chair nobody will be my sharecropper.
 
Let them stand down if they lose two elections
 
Don’t trust me, either: The CHP’s general chair is the natural presidential candidate and cannot evade this. Let me govern the party, and somebody else the country. In that case, why take up the post? I have another proposal at the rulebook congress. We issued a statement saying, “Step down” to our esteemed General Chair Deniz Baykal. I am revisiting those days and have said let us take a precaution about whether I will be prepared to relinquish the post when I become general chair. Let a general chair who cannot make the party the number one party in two elections stand down. How they come into office is a known, but how they are to leave is an unknown. Once they get in, they set things up so as not to leave. That’s what I will be like tomorrow so don’t trust me. Block my way.
 
POLICE ENTER THE CONGRESS
 
One detail attracted attention in the congress auditorium in the morning hours. The delegates who were to elect the general chair and Party Assembly members were seated in the middle of the auditorium. This situation provoked comments about the delegates being under siege. Nobody was being permitted to approach the delegates who were encircled by party officials.
 
However, the police are now said to be occupying the space surrounding the delegates which was being secured by youth sections in the morning hours. CHP members, angered by this situation, have posted footage on social media accounts.
 
REPUBLICAN PEOPLE’S PARTY ISSUES 36^TH ORDINARY CONGRESS CONCLUDING STATEMENT
 
The Republican People’s Party has issued its 36^th Ordinary Congress concluding statement. The statement contains the following comments:
 
“The CHP is the party whose roots stretch back to the National Independence Army and which was the founder of the fully independent, secular, democratic and modern Turkey following the path of national leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. For the eighty-year history of the Republic (1923 – 2002), it passed with the contribution of all Republican governments from a wrecked country on the edge of a precipice to an internally and externally respected and strong country. However, the separation of powers underpinning our Republic has today vanished and a party state based on a single man has been established.
 
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED THROUGH THE STATE OF EMERGENCY
 
Using the coup attempt as a pretext, a counter-coup was staged and fundamental rights and freedoms have been destroyed through the state of emergency.
 
Our national wealth and savings have been plundered and the wide popular masses have been condemned to unemployment and poverty.
 
What is more painful is that our will to live together has been undermined through polarising and alienating identity politics.
 
Let nobody forget that under these circumstances and conditions, our country’s hope, the CHP, the party of foundation and salvation, will continue without compromising on its basic values and the universal principles of social democracy and will transport our country to contemporary civilisation. Absolutely no force will be capable of diverting us from this sacred cause of ours.
 
THE PARTY ORGANISATION’S GOALS AND PRIORITIES WILL BE THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES
 
In line with this, our Party Organisation’s goals and priorities will be the following principles.
 
1-The single-man regime will be ended and there will be a transition to the parliamentary system underpinned by the separation of powers.
 
2-No compromise will be made on the principle of secularism, the basis of the Republic and democracy, and religion will neither be permitted to politicise nor politics to religify.
 
3-Interference with freedom of religion, conscience and faith will not be permitted and justice and serenity will be fostered in all areas of life.
 
4-The state of emergency will be lifted immediately, decrees with the force of law will be subjected to legislative and judicial scrutiny and the political leg of FETO, which staged the treasonous 15 July coup attempt, will most certainly be exposed.
 
5-Through securing the independence of the judiciary and the supremacy of the law, all citizens’ security of life and property will be guaranteed and elections will be fair and trustworthy
 
6-The Kurdish problem will be solved on the basis of equal citizenship through national unity and social understanding.
 
7-Freedom of the media, considered to be the fourth estate in contemporary democracies, will be ensured.
 
8-High value added inclusive growth will be targeted and education and health will be free of charge, high quality and accessible.
 
9-Everyone will get their due share of national income, hunger and poverty will be done away with and it will be the state’s basic duty to attain equitable income distribution and regional development.
 
10-Agricultural production will be planned, no agricultural land will go unplanted, imports will be countered by supporting farmers and Turkey will once more be made into a country that is self-sufficient in agriculture.
 
11-The state will be transparent, impartial and accountable and all appointments in public service will be on a merit basis, the time bar will be eliminated for corruption offences, penalties will be made more severe and those who engage in corruption will be held accountable.
 
12-The minimum wage will be exempted from tax, sub-contracted workers will be brought onto the public payroll, all public and private sector workers will be granted the freedom to form trade unions, trade unionisation will be encouraged and equal pay for equal work will be applied.
 
13-The discriminations applied among families of the fallen and our war heroes will be ended and families of the fallen and our war heroes will avail themselves of the entitlements and facilities afforded to members of parliament.
 
14-Women and young people will be granted equality in all areas of life, women and children will be protected against violence and penalties imposed on the perpetrators of violence will be increased.
 
15-The disabled will be enabled to participate equally in social and economic life.
 
16-Under the “Peace at Home, Peace in the World” principle, good relations will be established with all our neighbours taking account of our national interests, compliance with the EU acquis will be ensured and full membership of the EU will be targeted.
 
17-Our air, soil and water will be protected and permission will not be given for our seas, forests and agricultural land to be plundered. The Republic and democracy, secular and contemporary life, equality, freedom and solidarity and justice and courage will be rescued, preserved and championed.”
 
Duplicate signature crisis leaves its mark
 
The “duplicate signature” crisis left its mark on the CHP’s 36^th Ordinary Congress with its theme of “Justice and Courage”. A crisis ensued when it emerged that 48 of the signatories for Yalova MP Muharrem İnce, whose 165-signature petition for General Chair candidacy had initially been accepted by the Presiding Board and who had been granted the right to speak as a “general chair candidate”, had made “duplicate signatures”. With İnce, having replied, “I will be a candidate at the will of the delegates and not as a favour” to General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s offer for the duplicate signatures to be removed from his candidacy petition, requesting, “Let the delegates who cast duplicate votes be summoned once more and make their preference in line with who they want to vote for,” the move to the general chairship vote was hindered for some considerable time. The problem was then surmounted with the Presiding Board announcing Kılıçdaroğlu and İnce to be candidates.
 
The general chairship election was held on the first day yesterday of the CHP’s 36^th Ordinary Congress held at the Ankara Arena. Following Kılıçdaroğlu’s opening speech, Eskişehir Metropolitan Mayor Yılmaz Büyükerşen was elected unanimously to chair the Presiding Board.
 
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçaroğlu made the congress’s opening speech. Kılıçdaroğlu, saying that two of the CHP’s valued comrades were not at the congress, wished Deniz Baykal health. Kılıçdaroğlu, saying that the CHP’s detained MP Berberoğlu was being held as a “political captive” in prison in a country in which there was no equity, law and justice, without any concrete grounds having been cited and on instruction, said that Berberoğlu’s detention was based on absolutely no information or document.
 
Kılıçdaroğlu said, “He was arrested with it said that he supplied Can Dündar with the documents concerning the intelligence agency lorries and was sentenced to 25 years with time off for good behaviour. The court overturned the ruling but he is still inside. Let nobody forget that the judges and prosecutors who kept the records concerning the intelligence agency lorries are in jail for FETO membership. I wish to ask the judicial community how a secret that terrorist organisations knew about on a record kept by terrorist organisations can be a state secret. You surrender the state to a terrorist organisation and then you can turn round and detain Berberoğlu and throw him in jail as an intimidatory measure. I say openly and clearly: apply as much intimidation as you wish and come down on us, but we will not turn from our chosen path. Because we are the National Independence Army.”
 
Two figures unable to stand
 
Applications to the Presiding Board for candidacy commenced. Former Association of Judges and Prosecutors chair Ömer Faruk Eminağaoğlu and former Istanbul Bar Association Chair Ümit Kocasakal, who had announced their prospective candidacies, were denied the opportunity of standing having failed to secure sufficient signatures from delegates. According the results announced by the Board, İnce turned out to have 165 signatures. Of these, two delegates withdrew their signatures. It was ascertained that 48, in turn, had made duplicate votes. Büyükerşen stated that, as per the rulebook, it was necessary to summon these 48 people and inquire after their signatures, but Kılıçdaroğlu said he had approached the board asking, “It seems inappropriate to me for one candidate not to enter the race. I request that the duplicate votes count as being for İnce.”
 
“I don’t want a favour”
 
İnce, who took to the rostrum and spoke after the Board had spoken, stated that he did not wish to be a candidate in this way and said, “This is AKP fascism infecting the CHP. I don’t want a favour, I want my candidacy to be the free will of delegates. You will either be congress delegates with vigorous wills or else palace slaves. If you pressurise those who signed for me and turn them into duplicates and then give those duplicates to me, I don’t want them.”
 
“I will let nobody usurp my efforts”
 
İnce, addressing the auditorium saying, “You will defeat this, you will succeed in this, I am sure of this,” noted that he had reached this point by writing and writing on walls, tramping and tramping the dusty roads of villages and working and working until now in the Youth Sections and commented, “I will let nobody usurp my efforts. I will let neither Erdoğan nor those governing the CHP usurp my efforts. First change in the CHP and then change in Turkey. First revolution in the CHP and then revolution in Turkey. You speak of a ‘congress of justice’ but you do not play music for me. You have no justice even over music. You speak of courage but voted “yes” to lifting immunity. These are things that happen in front of all your eyes. Call a halt to this.”
 
Following the salutation, Büyükerşen remonstrated, “Let İnce state if he has withdrawn.” At this remonstration, the sound of booing rose in the auditorium and a group of İnce supporters came out to the area where the rostrum was situated. With İnce not proclaiming his withdrawal, Büyükerşen said once more using the microphone, “I once more announce that we have two candidates for general chair.” At this point, there was a melee in front of the stage. It has been learnt that İnce, approaching Büyükerşen, had complained, “This cannot be announced like this. I need no favours from anyone.” The Presiding Board declared Kılıçdaroğlu and Muharrem İnce to be candidates. With the withdrawal of the duplicate signatures, Kılıçdaroğlu was nominated as a candidate with the signature of 1130 delegates. With all the discord, it was only possible to move to electing the general chair at a late hour.
 
Banners demanding freedom and justice
 
With wide-ranging security measures being taken inside and outside the auditorium, the streets were closed to traffic and at the entrance to the auditorium both press members and citizens were only able to enter the auditorium having been searched twice. Tents set up by CHP Çankaya and Yenimahalle municipalities dispensed food and drink. In the grounds, in which İnce had set up a tent, those CHP members who wished to obtained scarves sporting the name of Muharrem İnce.
 
Big applause for Kaftancıoğlu
 
As CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu made her entrance to the auditorium, she was applauded by the party faithful. Prospective general chair candidate Muharrem İnce along with his wife Ülkü İnce were greeted from the galleries. The party faithful showered carnations on CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu along with his wife Selvi Kılıçdaroğlu, who arrived a little later. It was announced that the AKP had decided not to send a representative to the congress. The words, “We will see free days. One day we will for sure encounter freedom” along with photographs of the CHP’s detained MP Enis Berberoğlu adorned all four sides of the auditorium. With the words, “I have two great works. The first is the Republic and the other the Republican People’s Party” hung along with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s picture in one corner of the auditorium, another corner was devoted to Kılıçdaroğlu’s statement, “Being part of the CHP means to wage struggle on the road to independence and freedom. Our road is the road of those who have written this honourable history.” Also hanging in the auditorium were posters reading, “Rights, law, justice,” “Justice will rise like the sun,” “The law will come with us,” “Freedom for the detained journalists,” “Entrusted into us is the Republic, our strength is the people,” “We will construct peace together,” “If there is a free press, there is a free society,” “We are one, we are whole, we are patriotic,” and “Only revolutionism makes change.” At the end of the congress dominated by the colours of red, white and blue, the CHP used laser lights for the first time.
 
Giant screen display
 
With the Izmir March played before the start of the congress, CHP members shouted the slogan, “We are Mustafa Kemal’s soldiers.” At regular intervals, the sound of President Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime-Minister Binali Yıldırım saying “Hey, Kılıçdaroğlu” and the word “Listen”, were conveyed on the screen in the auditorium. Following each rendering of “Listen,” following the comments, “Turkey is last in Europe in the PISA exam, press freedom and the equality of women and men. We are the first country in workplace accidents. We are the country that consumes the most expensive petrol and imports straw in agriculture and is the only one that pays money for bridges we do not cross,” the message “It is good that you exist, CHP” appeared. In the auditorium, in which the film “Justice” was shown, the speech that Kılıçdaroğlu made at the Maltepe Rally following the Justice Marh that started on 15 June 2017 and ended in Istanbul on 9 July was played and footage from the Justice March shown.
 
“The single-man regime will be ended”
 
In the seventeen-point Concluding Statement issued following the congress, it was said, “The separation of powers underpinning our Republic has today ceased to exist and a party state based on a single man has been established. Using the coup attempt as a pretext, a counter-coup was staged and fundamental rights and freedoms have been destroyed through the state of emergency. Our national wealth and savings have been plundered and the wide popular masses have been condemned to unemployment and poverty. Let nobody forget that under these circumstances and conditions, our country’s hope, the CHP, the party of foundation and salvation, will continue without compromising on its basic values and the universal principles of social democracy and will transport our country into contemporary civilisation. Absolutely no force will be capable of diverting us from this sacred cause of ours.” With the first point of the statement being, “The single-man regime will be ended,” included among the party’s priorities were ending the state of emergency, the independence of the judiciary, solving the Kurdish problem through social understanding, media freedom and holding those who engage in corruption to account.
 
“Your existence is enough, the CHP is enough”
 
Detained CHP parliamentarian Enis Berberoğlu commented in the message he sent to the congress from Maltepe Prison, “You have never but never left me and made me feel alone between these four walls. Stay healthy and hang in! However hard I try, it is really hard to follow the outside from the inside. Sometimes I think. Is it tougher being inside or outside the struggle? I remain undecided, because the fight in this wonderful country between the oppressors and the justice and freedom warriors sits on a very fine balance. For this reason, every step my party takes in the name of justice, every small gain it makes, does not just make me proud, but brings my freedom a little closer. So, there is no need for you to think, ‘What must we do for Enis?’ Your existence is enough, the CHP is enough! On top of this, it is enough not just for me, but for Turkey.”