Main opposition leader deems coup in Egypt ‘unacceptable’

ANKARA

Both CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli denounced the military coup in Egypt. DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin SÖNMEZ

Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has categorically denounced the July 3 military coup d’état in Egypt, deeming it “unacceptable.”

But Kılıçdaroğlu also used the opportunity to deliver veiled messages to the government over democracy.

“Military coups can never be accepted,” Kılıçdaroğlu said today, speaking to reporters just before a working breakfast with business people from the OSTİM organized industrial zone.

“Especially in the 21st century, it is not right to stage coups to shape societies and this should not be accepted. Democracy is a regime of compromise at the same time. There is a culture of compromise in democracies,” he said after the Egyptian government overthrew President Mohamed Morsi following massive rallies against him.

“If you put compromise aside, and say what I said should be done, you cannot remove hundreds of thousands people from Tahrir Square,” he said.

Kılıçdaroğlu also gave messages to the government, especially referring to the government’s emphasis on elections as proof of its legitimacy during the Gezi Park unrest.

“We see that those who see democracy merely about the ballot box are wrong. There is a concept called pluralism. Those who rule the country must listen to the demands of everyone. Being insensitive toward demands, ignoring them, saying, ‘I have the majority vote, now I can do what I want’ is no longer valid in our day,” he said.

He furthered his remark, saying the main problem in Turkey was “the mentality of imposition” of the government and that the youth had dealt the administration a lesson on this.

“Primarily, Mr. President [Abdullah Gül] and both authorities and political parties must take the necessary lessons. There is one person who displayed his lack of understanding. The name of that person is [Prime Minister] Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. I hope that in the near future he understands the youth and the importance of personal rights and freedoms,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

When asked about the possible impact of the coup in Egypt on Turkey, Kılıçdaroğlu said: “I believe that our democracy culture is more developed. No section in our society desires a military coup.”

MHP leader warns AKP on dealings with 'coup gov't'

For his part, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli warned the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to be vigilant in their dealings with the new "coup" government.

"To express wishes siding with democracy without meddling in [Egypt's] internal affairs would be the right and most natural position for the AKP," Bahçeli told reporters today.

"Everyone, including the government and the opposition, is responsible for Egypt getting to this point. Although Morsi is in the role of the victim, he is at fault for not using fairly and inclusively the opportunities at hand. However, it is clear that this military intervention has nothing to do with democracy and cannot be seen favorably," he added.

Human rights commission joins condemnation

Parliament’s Human Rights Inquiry Commission also released a declaration today, condemning the coup, with deputies of all four political parties represented in Parliament signing the declaration.

Elected governments change hands through rules that have been previously set, the declaration said.

“All kinds of intervention except this are against democracy, law and human rights. What has been done in Egypt is one of those coups, and we have seen dozens of them earlier, when they trampled democracy, the rule of law and human rights. The power which has been seized without authority should be returned to the people at once,” the deputies said, “condemning” the coup.