Opposition leaders skip reception and presidential greeting on Republic Day

ANKARA

Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and İYİ (Good) Party leader Meral Akşener celebrated the founding of the Turkish Republic at the official ceremony in Anıtkabir, however, did not participate in the rest of the program at the presidential palace and the reception held in Istanbul.

In a written statement, Kılıçdaroğlu said they have the responsibility of embracing the republic with democracy as they defend the democratic, secular and social state of law instead of supporting the “prosperity of presidential circles.” In his message, Kılıçdaroğlu criticized the government for supporting a “one man rule” and supporting the prosperity of “a rentier rather than the people.”

Akşener visited the first parliament building of the republic early on Oct. 29 along with her lawmakers. “One should not consider whether an individual is from leftist or rightist ideology while embracing the republic,” she said. The İYİ Party leader said the Justice and the Development Party (AKP) has not aimed to “administrate the republic, but to confiscate it” since the beginning of its rule.

The AKP is carrying the celebration of the state ceremony to a “building site in Istanbul because they see the world as construction,” she said.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli attended the celebration ceremonies in Ankara, but did not participate at the reception in Istanbul.

“I will watch it on TV,” he told reporters when asked about the opening ceremony of the new airport in Istanbul.

“The Turkish nation has broken the imperial chamber that attacked its sovereignty rights,” Bahçeli said in his written statement for Republic Day.