'Suspected' Government

By relying on its majority in Parliament, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) did not send four former ministers suspected of being involved in bribery and corruption to court for prosecution. So this means that Parliament covered up the Dec. 17-25 bribery and corruption investigation. The file is closed -- or is it really?
The AKP is now suffering a crisis because some of its deputies voted for the referral of the suspects during the voting session at Parliament. Some AKP deputies said they would identify the traitors amongst them. It is really interesting and sad to see that deputies who listen to their conscience when voting are referred to as traitors just because they did not comply with the signals from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu made some unconvincing statements that they, i.e., he and the president, did not put any pressure on the deputies; on the other hand, an interesting group known as the Civilian Solidarity Platform published ads in the newspapers where they argued that referral of the four former ministers to the court for prosecution would mean support for coup attempt made in the Dec.17-25 investigation. The ad also included threatening remarks against the AKP deputies, who were reminded that they owed their current position and status to the shadow of “strong will,” or the "sağlam irade" slogan used by Erdoğan. But in the end, this unpleasant blackmailing attempt worked and because of the votes of the AKP deputies, the former ministers were saved from prosecution in the parliamentary vote.
The former ministers now have no opportunity to defend themselves in front of a judicial body, and deal with the allegations against them. I do not know how they will lead the rest of their lives and remain active in politics given that they will always remain suspected of bribery and corruption.
Millions of dollars and euros stashed in shoeboxes. Money found in the homes of the ministers' sons. No plausible explanation for the source of these monies. A luxury watch that is worth $700,000 brought from Switzerland by Reza Zarrab for a minister. Money offered to the minister in chocolate boxes. The relationships and transactions -- Reza Sarrab, referred to as a philanthropist by Erdoğan -- conducted, while being supervised by the country's intelligence agency and having these actions communicated to the government. Handovers of money being performed in the restrooms of shopping malls. The contents of voice recordings featuring some of the suspects being leaked to the Internet. All of these things occurred.
Instead of being exonerated of these grave accusations via a judicial body, these ministers preferred a less honorable way.
And not only this, the government is still trying hard to erase all the traces of the bribery and graft operations and investigations. The government continues to remove and reappoint police officers and members of the judiciary. The pro-government media publishes blasphemous and false reports against innocent people; people are declared traitors on a daily basis and made targets. And now, censorship of social media and the Internet has become routine.
Will all these problems be solved by covering up these bribery and corruption allegations and will the government go back to normal by using these arbitrary and antidemocratic practices?
Let me note that this will not happen. Now, the only goal for the government is to stay in power. We have been witnessing over the last year that they relied on the entire state apparatus to make sure that the bribery and corruption charges were forgotten. They feel they have to stay in power, because if not, they know that they will have to stand trial in the courts. To ensure these allegations were forgotten, they relied on coercive and repressive measures. But if they are not in power, they will be held accountable for this too.
Until then, they will become even more repressive to remain in power. But no matter what they do, they will always remain suspected of graft and bribery.

CAFER SOLGUN (Cihan/Today's Zaman)