Özgür Özel, Kartalkaya'ya giderken Bakan Ersoy'a sert bir yanıt verdi: "He did something to be ashamed of."

CHP General Chairman Özgür Özel made statements in front of the hotel where a fire tragedy occurred, resulting in the loss of 66 lives and injuries to 51 people, in Bolu Kartalkaya.

Özel used the following expressions:

"It is a great pain. Unfortunately, according to the official statement so far, 66 of our citizens lost their lives here due to the fire that started around 03:30 this morning. We are concerned that the number may increase. Today, we have assigned an eight-member delegation, including two of our deputy chairpersons and six of our members of parliament. Following that, we are monitoring the work here with a delegation of about 20 members of parliament, including our friends from neighboring provinces and other parliamentary colleagues. Throughout the day, in addition to the information received by our shadow ministers, I also received information from the Minister of Interior, Ali Yerlikaya, regarding the occurrence, development, and the process so far. He stated that the civil inspectors he assigned would work as quickly as possible, knowing the sensitivity of the issue, and that the matter would be clarified without leaving any doubt or question in any aspect.

"IF YOU WONDER HOW A COUNTRY IS GOVERNED, YOU WILL LOOK AT HOW PEOPLE DIE IN THAT COUNTRY"

Undoubtedly, if you wonder how a country is governed, you will look at how people die in that country. For me, the most significant trauma in my political history and personal life is undoubtedly Soma. In front of my eyes, 301 of my fellow citizens, my children, my dear ones, who we send off to work every day, burned to death. They died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Here, the little children, mothers, and fathers who experienced the joy of a report card lost their lives. There can be no excuse for such a death in 2025. The entire country needs to see and accept this. I am not saying this politically or for political reasons. I even expressed this to the Minister of Tourism inside. Everything that needs to be done today must be done quickly; respect must be shown to this pain and this mourning. Then, with some concerns and some unrelated issues, making incorrect, premature statements is very dangerous. Look, this morning when it was said, 'Three are seriously injured, three are missing, six are missing,' Tanju Özcan, the President, told me, 'It could be well over 50, Mr. President.' I said, 'Mr. President, let’s act responsibly,' and I have no doubt they will act that way. 'Every word spoken here is very important for the families,' we said. 'I think exactly the same. I will wait for the Governor,' he said. We waited for six hours. It was also said that the number of our citizens who lost their lives exceeded 60. I said, 'We will receive bad news,' but unfortunately, on the other hand, we were waiting for a speech at a provincial congress that was not canceled. This is something that the nation finds very shameful. Don’t you see that feeling in the field right now?

HARSH RESPONSE TO MINISTER ERSOY: HE DID SOMETHING TO BE ASHAMED OF

This hotel was built in 2007, and the Ministry of Tourism made a request to Bolu Municipality. Bolu Municipality issued a suitability certificate that day. That certificate was secretly circulated, as if it were from Bolu Municipality, through the AK Party's social media. I just can't comprehend it. The fact that this is rooted in the Ministry is unbelievable. I said, 'Calm down, stay calm.' We saw that it was a perception operation. What will happen? The municipality is already with you that year. No one has knocked on the municipality's door since that day. When the Ministry inspected this place, it never requested a new inspection regarding the fire; there was no request. But look, we consider discussing these things to be a disgrace. We didn’t open our mouths at first. First, the funerals, first the mourning must end. Sooner or later, everything will be discussed. Accountability will be demanded, the opposition will do its job, those responsible will answer, whoever they are, whatever it is. If we have a fault, that will also be discussed, but not within the borders of Bolu Municipality; this is not a metropolitan area. And I can't comprehend such a irresponsible statement. God forbid, a person's child has died here. You are falsely targeting someone, and they will be attacked. This cannot be. When he took office, I called the Minister to congratulate him. I said, 'May it be good, may God not embarrass you.' But today, he really did something to be ashamed of. Such things should not be done.

"WHOEVER WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN THE HARDEST WAY"

We are deeply saddened. I share the pain of all families at the deepest level. I will say, 'To prevent such a thing from happening again,' but it is happening, damn it, it is happening. We really need to look at these issues from another perspective. It cannot be that this many people will spend the night here. If this were an Organized Industrial Zone, it would not be possible without its own fire brigade. But when it is a hotel, it is allowed. Nonsense. This must be investigated in the Parliament; we must look at it together, legal regulations must be made, lessons must be learned, but they are not being learned. I am very sorry. Due to the attempt to politicize this issue by a Minister's hand in the afternoon and evening, we had to make a statement in self-defense because it was a matter that had nothing to do with us. Still, I felt great shame on behalf of all of us and the country for the fact that the issue has come to this point today, while there are burned bodies of children inside. I said that inside too, 'This was very wrong.' But whoever will be held accountable will be held accountable in the hardest way. We will follow up. It cannot be that in 2025, people die like this in a country; it cannot happen. It is not right.

"WHATEVER IS OUR SHARE WILL BE DONE"

Özel also responded to the question of whether he received information about the works: "I received information. Mr. Ali Yerlikaya explained some things very transparently. There is a sensitive process they need to go through. I asked both the latest figures and the suspicious situations. Could it be that someone came out in shock and actually did not die and is there? Or they cannot be reached on their phone, but is it like this or like that? He listed all possibilities. He talked about some very bad difficulties in places where the fire lasted a long time. About DNA tests. He said he would make a clear statement, even if late in the evening today. We need to wait patiently. I should not say anything on this side; it is also necessary not to say anything. I understand all the difficulties. But it is not possible to justify the other issue. We have suffered a great injustice that should not have happened. I am trying to keep myself from losing my temper and will keep the issue at this point today. But it cannot be; it is something that should not happen. Other than that, whatever falls to us will be done. Whatever is our share will be done. Once again, we say, 'We hope this will be the last.' May all our heads be held high, friends.

"THE STATEMENT WAS WAITED UNTIL THE CONGRESS ENDED"

Özel responded to the question, "Which party did you say was waiting for its congress?" with the following answer: "Did you not follow? Today, a political party did not cancel its congress in Ankara, and no statement was made until that congress was over. We knew one aspect of the number for six hours, but now if we do not do this, what would you say, what would you ask?"

What congress is it? Is it up to the opposition leader to say that? They didn't cancel a party congress, did they? It's their own choice, but what would have been said, what would have been discussed, what would have been done if another party had done this? The explanation was also waited until it was over. That live broadcast was watched. Anyway, let them do it that way, so be it.