Opposition MHP Prepares Dictionary Of Corruption

Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) parliamentary group deputy chairman Oktay Vural has introduced a "dictionary of corruption" containing the key words concerning the Dec. 17-25 graft scandals as well as placed a poster in six languages in Parliament.

The MHP, along with the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), had previously declared Dec. 17-25 a "week of fighting graft," with Vural introducing a special event in Parliament on Wednesday in order to mark the first anniversary of the revelation of the graft scandals.

Taking to the floor in Parliament, Vural put up six placards with the words "Dec. 17-25: a week of fighting corruption" written in English, Chinese, Latin, Arabic and French. Vural later made those who were present listen to a message in six language concerning the announcement of the "week of corruption."

Vural handed out the "corruption dictionary" containing words like "Alo Fatih," in reference to Ciner Holding former chairman Fatih Saraç, who was instructed by then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to censor anti-government content broadcasted by the Habertürk TV station; "AK trolls," in reference to Twitter trolls supporting the Justice and Development Party (AK Party); "shoeboxes," in reference to $4.5 million in cash found stashed in shoeboxes in the home of former Halkbank General Manager Süleyman Aslan; and "Başçalan” (head thief) to members of the press who were there to cover the event.

Vural also pointed out that his party had introduced a legislative proposal to Parliament seeking for Dec. 17-25 to be marked as a week of fighting graft, as well as to ensure that the public does not forget the worst-ever graft that Turkey has encountered.

"We say no to corruption. The main purpose of the law proposal is to ensure those that who were involved in corruption account for what they have done. We will do anything to ensure that those who insulted our values by being involving in money laundering, bribery and wrongdoing are punished before the law. We should all fight against the disease of corruption, which has held politics captive but is prohibited by our religion and the law," Vural noted.

Vural also stressed that the government cannot obscure the graft via allegations of an attempted coup against the ruling AK Party, adding: "The main coup was staged by the government against the people. The only purpose of the government is to hide the graft and the perpetrators from the public. It [the AK Party] is extending great effort to cover up corruption."

Meanwhile, pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chairman Selahattin Demirtaş posted several tweets on his account stating that the documents which were revealed in the Dec. 17 and 25 corruption investigations were evidence of graft but the faith-based Hizmet movement was trying to establish control over the state by using the graft.

Selim Kuvel, (Cihan/Today's Zaman)