10.04.2026 10:20
AK Party Istanbul Deputy Şengül Karslı responded harshly to the opposition's criticisms in her speech at the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Reminding of the past tutelary headlines, Karslı said, "Those who seek shame should first look at their own past. We will not sacrifice a single penny of the nation to political armor."
AK Party Istanbul Deputy Şengül Karslı responded firmly and clearly to the opposition's claims with her speech at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). Karslı's striking evaluations on the transparency of public resources and attempts to interfere with the independent judiciary left a mark on the General Assembly. Reminding the opposition of past tutelary headlines, Karslı called out, “Do the advocacy of the nation, not of certain circles.”
"THOSE WHO SEEK SHAME SHOULD FIRST LOOK AT THEIR OWN PAST"
Responding to criticisms from the opposition benches by giving a lesson in democracy through press history, Karslı drew attention to the shameful documents in Turkish political history. From the parliamentary podium, Karslı made the following historical reminders:
May 27 Coup: Headlines of the Ulus newspaper supporting the 1960 coup.
Tutelary Headlines: The headline “411 Hands Raised for Chaos” against the freedom of headscarves.
Political Bans: The disgraceful headline “You Can't Even Be a Muhtar” directed at President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Karslı turned to the opposition and said, “Those who seek shame should first look at their own past. What stance did your political party take when these headlines were made? I just want you to be curious and research this.”
"DO THE ADVOCACY OF THE NATION, NOT OF CERTAIN CIRCLES"
Stating that Turkey has one of the best-functioning democracies and independent judicial systems in the world, Karslı emphasized that they would not allow political shadows to be cast over ongoing legal processes. Criticizing the Republican People's Party (CHP) harshly, Karslı expressed, “Instead of being the advocates of the Republican People's Party or certain circles, dare to be the advocates of the nation.”
"OFFICES DO NOT PROVIDE EXEMPTION FROM THE LAW"
In her speech, emphasizing transparency and accountability, Şengül Karslı stated that the allegations of billions of lira in public losses against CHP municipalities cannot be covered up. Karslı expressed that the media's reporting of these allegations was being distorted as “extrajudicial execution,” and that the real aim was to hide the truths from the public, continuing her words as follows:
“Being elected by the will of the nation does not grant any officeholder the right to be exempt from oversight and to be above the law. On the contrary, it is essential for those who carry the public trust on their shoulders to be much more transparent and accountable before the law.”
FULL SUPPORT FOR INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY, NO TO WASTE
Karslı stated that the proposal presented by the opposition to the parliament aimed to politicize the legal process rather than reveal the truth, concluding her remarks with the following statement summarizing the AK Party's understanding of the state and the nation:
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the waste of even a single penny of our nation, hidden behind political shields!”