Main opposition CHP: Don’t you feel ashamed?

ANKARA

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The leader of the main opposition party has strongly reacted against nine ruling party lawmakers who voted against sending four former ministers to the Supreme Council over corruption claims, calling them "dishonorable and remorseless."

“You obviously did not feel ashamed of the people, but aren’t you afraid of God? What kind of a conscience do you have? How can you rent your conscience? How can you sell it? Is it so easy to be a protector of the thieves?” asked Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in his address to his parliamentary group Dec. 6.

The CHP head read the names of the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) nine commission members of the corruption inquiry panel who voted that four former ministers should not be tried before the Supreme Council.

“Who are you to close this corruption case while everything is so clear? With what face will you look at your children, your wife?” added Kılıçdaroğlu.

Accusing the lawmakers of "selling their conscience, morals and faith" Kılıçdaroğlu described the nine commission members as "for political sale.”

The AKP's members of the commission did not question the very serious corruption and graft allegations against these former ministers, the CHP leader said. “Didn’t you ask this question in your conscience? What kind of deputy are you? How can you represent the people? Don’t you know that protecting a thief is a bigger theft?” he added.

“The world has never witnessed such immorality. Is there any religion, sect, tradition or holy book that accepts bribery as a gift and squander as a show of credibility?” said Kılıçdaroğlu. “I ask these nine persons: Do you have ethics, honor and pride?”

Calling on AKP lawmakers

Recalling that a final vote will take place at the General Assembly on whether or not the quartet of former ministers should be tried or not, Kılıçdaroğlu called on all AKP lawmakers to "listen to their conscience and vote accordingly."      

“The vote will take place at the General Assembly. I have never criticized the AKP parliamentary group. Parliament is the legislative body where the will of the people is manifested. That’s why I call on every consciously-inclined lawmaker: Please, I plead; vote in what you believe and what you respect after appealing to your conscience. The vote you cast will make Turkey either respected or disrespected," he said.