Müsavat Dervişoğlu's response to Kılıçdaroğlu regarding Akşener: 'I condemn it.'

The first hearing of the defamation case opened against the 7th General President of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, upon the complaint of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was held yesterday at the Ankara 57th Criminal Court of First Instance.

While Kılıçdaroğlu's defense drew attention during the hearing, his remarks about the former leader of the İYİ Party, Meral Akşener, caused controversy: "In the presidential elections, those we knew as nationalists and patriots who said as a will 'I entrust Kılıçdaroğlu to my family' turned out to be collaborators. I made a mistake because I believed them. Yes, I am at fault. I could not have predicted they could be this bad. I regret it."

AKŞENER REMAINED SILENT, DERVİŞOĞLU RESPONDED

Meral Akşener maintained her silence regarding Kılıçdaroğlu's remarks; the response came from İYİ Party General President Müsavat Dervişoğlu.

Before a meeting with the provincial heads of his party, Dervişoğlu stated that he condemned Kılıçdaroğlu for his words.

"I EXPECTED A MORE CAREFUL SPEECH"

Dervişoğlu, in his statements, said, "As is known, yesterday, regarding a legal process being conducted against him, former CHP General President Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu made significant statements that drew public attention. If you ask me, it is not appropriate for the leaders of parties that have an important place in our democracy's history to be tried due to their statements and the complaints of political rivals. Of course, the statements regarding the allegations that led to his trial are their own discretion. However, I would hope and expect that he would speak much more carefully about the periods that have been left behind."

"I CONDEMN"

"However, I would hope and expect that he would speak much more carefully about the periods that have been left behind. Just as İYİ Party's present and future are ours, so too are the past and the time before it," said the İYİ Party leader, adding, "I vehemently reject and condemn his statements that put a significant portion of society under suspicion and directly target our Founding General President, Ms. Meral Akşener. We make our own evaluations and self-criticisms regarding the processes we have experienced in our authorized bodies, and we determine our roadmap for the future with our own will. There is no need to say too much."

'THE EMPHASIS ON "OLD NOTEBOOKS" DREW ATTENTION

Dervişoğlu also stated that old notebooks should not be opened, adding, "Since the day the President started to be elected by popular vote, it was Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu who personally made Mr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu a candidate in 2014, Mr. Muharrem İnce in 2018, and himself a candidate for President in 2023, which led to Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan winning the election.

Furthermore, we did not propose a candidate to the CHP from outer space, nor did we suggest a candidate within a bargaining process. I would like to remind you that stirring up old notebooks will not benefit anyone. And I would also like to remind you that fighting with your neighbor's house while there is a fight in your own house will not bring you any benefit. Congress can be lost, the responsible party is someone else; elections can be lost, and again the responsible party is someone else. Such an evaluation is not conscientious. One should also look for the fault and responsibility within themselves. There are many things to say, but yesterday also has a memory. Therefore, I say as a final word: Accusing others is not self-defense, Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu."