CHP leader vows peace to all citizens in Turkey

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on March 22 vowed to provide peace to all citizens of Turkey if his party comes to the power.

“We need peace, tranquility, living together and embracing, i.e., doing what is necessary for Nowruz. We will do this. I promise all my citizens. It is my duty to strive for all citizens to live in peace in this country. We will do it together with the Nation Alliance,” he said, speaking at his party’s parliamentary group meeting.

Recalling President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s remarks that the government would not send refugees back to their countries, Kılıçdaroğlu suggested that the president aims to get votes of Syrians in Turkey.

“He says he will not send Syrians back. What do you mean? It means ‘I will give them citizenship; I will get them [the right] to vote,’” the CHP leader said.

Criticizing the build-operate-transfer model that the government is implementing for several public projects, Kılıçdaroğlu said the model would cause “trouble” for the public.

There was an “interest rate problem, now there is a commitment problem” due to these projects because of the burden on the state, he said.

“The construction cost of city hospitals is 10.2 billion Turkish Liras, the committed money is 82.5 billion liras. The cost of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge is 3.3 billion liras and the treasury guarantee is 9 billion liras. The cost of the Osmangazi Bridge is $1.2 billion, and the Treasury guarantee is $15 billion. Kütahya Zafer Airport 50 million euros, 208 million euros to be paid,” the CHP leader said.