İYİ Party leader slams Bahçeli over Öcalan remarks

ANKARA

İYİ (Good) Party leader Müsavat Dervişoğlu has sharply rebuked Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli over his comments on PKK's imprisoned head Abdullah Öcalan.

"He cannot enter the parliament without stepping on our dead body," Dervişoğlu said on Oct. 23, referencing Bahçeli’s statement that Öcalan could speak before the assembly.

Dervişoğlu reminded the public of Bahçeli’s previous stance, recalling a 2007 incident when he urged Öcalan’s execution by tossing a noose during a rally.

"This is [modern Türkiye founder] Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's parliament, where the Turkish Republic was founded, the sole manifestation of national sovereignty,” Dervişoğlu said, and echoed the gesture by throwing a noose.

Bahçeli’s remarks came during an Oct. 22 parliamentary session, where he said Öcalan could attend a parliamentary session of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party to "declare the end of terrorism."

Dervişoğlu accused ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), MHP and DEM Party leaders of forming a "non-national consensus front."