22.11.2025 17:21
The General Chairman of the DEM Party, Tuncer Bakırhan, reacted to the Commission's visit to Imralı by stating, "The CHP's decision not to provide members has hurt the Kurds. We have noted the situation of not taking responsibility during this period when a century-old wound is to be healed." CHP leader Özgür Özel also made a statement on the matter, saying, "We are not obliged to follow anyone, to do what anyone says, or to be part of anyone's plan."
The decision of the Process Commission to visit İmralı has dominated the agenda in Turkey. Tensions have escalated between the CHP, which did not provide a member for the delegation going to İmralı, and the DEM Party.
The DEM Party held a "Erzurum Public Meeting" within the scope of "Terror-Free Turkey." In his speech during the program, DEM Party Chairman Tuncer Bakırhan made statements regarding the 'İmralı visit' of the National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission established within the scope of 'Terror-Free Turkey,' and the stance of the CHP regarding the process. The highest level of security measures were taken before and after the program held at the Necip Fazıl Kısakürek Cultural Center in Palandöken district. The National Anthem was sung before the opening of the program.
ERDOĞAN, BAHÇELİ AND KURTULMUŞ RECEIVED APPLAUSE DEM Party Chairman Tuncer Bakırhan, who said, "Despite everything, we will hopefully build peace," stated, "The Parliamentary Commission made a historic decision. I congratulate all the commission members who voted positively for this decision in the commission. I thank them. I want a big round of applause for them. The commission did not just fulfill a duty. It also took a stance and attitude that serves the peace of Turkey. On this occasion, I would also like to express my gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Nationalist Movement Party Chairman Devlet Bahçeli, and Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş for their efforts in this process. We come from an honorable tradition that acknowledges the rightful, congratulates, thanks, and applauds whoever is right, regardless of our opposition," he said.
"WE HAVE NOTED CHP'S STANCE" Reminding that some parties in the commission voted negatively regarding going to İmralı at a very important stage of the historical process, Bakırhan said, "This was a significant deficiency at the threshold of this historic moment. I will say this with regret. Because our expectation from the main opposition party was not this. The CHP's decision not to provide a member has hurt the Kurds. If you are not going to take responsibility to heal a hundred-year-old wound, when will you? Who will believe it? We have noted the situation of not taking responsibility at a time when such a hundred-year-old wound could be healed. But our expectations continue. Because peace is for eighty-six million. We expected the founding party, which is historically responsible for this hundred-year-old issue, to be braver. We expected a self-critical approach during this process. We expected to be on the side of healing the future. We still expect it. It is not too late. There is no benefit in preferring the reflexes of the past instead of a founding mind. This decision has provided lifeblood to those who feed on conflict and impasse. The founding party should stand by peace. It should be on the side of peace," he said.
ÖZEL: WE ARE NOT OBLIGED TO BE PART OF ANYONE'S PLAN CHP leader Özgür Özel, addressing citizens in Zonguldak within the framework of the "Defending the Will of the Nation" rallies, made the following statements regarding the İmralı decision:
"Those who call us terrorists because we celebrated with the DEM Party are now trying to force us into something. We have courageously stated the existence of the Kurdish issue and continue to do so. The CHP stands where it stood on the first day. It is behind the solution of the problem. We are not obliged to follow anyone, to do what anyone says, or to be part of anyone's plan.
"WE ARE THE FOUNDING PARTY, WE ARE THE FOUNDING WILL" We do not back down from our words, we do not leave the work we started unfinished, nor do we follow someone like a wagon behind Tayyip Bey. We respect those who go, but those who say 'the CHP will do what they say when the time comes' should see this: we are the founding party, we are the founding will, and we only account to the nation for our politics."