13.10.2026 23:11
Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş did not accept the apology she requested from the father of New Party Leader Özgür Özel. Göktaş, who gave a very harsh response to the opposition's allegations against her and her family, described what happened as "cheap politics." Minister Göktaş, who called on those making the allegations to resign, announced that if she wins the compensation lawsuit she filed, she will donate the proceeds to the Family and Youth Fund.
Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, while answering questions on current affairs on NTV live broadcast, reacted very harshly to NEW Party Chairman Özgür Özel’s apology statements and the opposition’s allegations against her and her family. Stating that Özgür Özel has been reaching her father for days and apologizing, Minister Göktaş did not accept this apology and described the opposition’s policy as "cheap politics".
"IF HE CANNOT PROVE IT, HE SHOULD RESIGN," SHE SAID, EMPHASIZING MUD-SLINGING POLITICS
Referring to the allegation that the name of NEW Party İzmir MP Ümit Özlale's father was mentioned in a fund investigation, Göktaş recalled President Erdoğan's clear stance that whoever is implicated, action will be taken as necessary. Recalling that when Özlale claimed he had evidence, she had at the time called for "If he cannot prove it, let him resign," Minister Göktaş summarized the continuation of the process as follows:
"He could not, he will not. Hours later he made a shameful statement. Neither an apology, nor any restraint, nothing. Shamelessly he says, 'We caused the Minister a few minutes of grievance.' There is no sense of shame, no sense of modesty. It is completely mud-slinging politics."
"ÖZGÜR ÖZEL HAS BEEN KISSING MY FATHER'S HANDS AND APOLOGIZING FOR DAYS"
Göktaş, who also sharply criticized NEW Party Leader Özgür Özel’s apology move and the politics carried out through her family, expressed her reaction in these words:
"Today Özgür Özel is making a statement. For days he has been kissing my father's hands and apologizing. My God, can such a thing be? Can a family be attacked this much? Can politics be done this cheaply?"
Göktaş said, "I will never tolerate this dirty politics that targets my person and my family. Those who cannot prove their claims will be held accountable before the law for the slanders they have thrown."
SHE WILL TRANSFER THE COMPENSATION TO THE FAMILY AND YOUTH FUND
Saying that although she refuted the allegations with documents on the first day, the media close to the opposition continued to inflate the issue, Göktaş stated that the aim was to undermine public trust and discredit her. Announcing that she filed a criminal complaint regarding the incident, Minister Göktaş announced that she would transfer the compensation amount she would win to the Family and Youth Fund.