Swearing at Turkish Parliament brings resignation of MP

ANKARA

A brawl erupts at a parliamentary panel over AKP deputy Zeyid Aslan’s insults and swearing at Republican People’s Party MP Kamer Genç. DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin SÖNMEZ

A ruling party lawmaker has been forced to leave his position as a parliamentary commission chair amid mounting pressure from both his and the main opposition party regarding his insults toward an opposition lawmaker during a recent parliamentary session.

Justice and Development Party (AKP) Tokat deputy Zeyid Aslan, who insulted and swore at main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Tunceli Deputy Kamer Genç, also faces possible punishment as he was referred to the disciplinary committee of his ruling party. 

More than 30 CHP deputies yesterday raided a meeting of Parliament’s Wiretapping Commission, chaired by Aslan. After rising tension between the AKP and the CHP, some deputies intervened in the fight to prevent a more serious quarrel, while the opposition party lawmakers demanded Aslan’s resignation.

The troubled deputy also failed to receive much support from his own party. PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also criticized Aslan yesterday, saying he condemned the MP’s words while adding that the deputy had been warned. 

“We will take all measures in order not to repeat such incidents,” Erdoğan wrote in a letter to Parliamentary Speaker Cemil Çiçek. 

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç also criticized Aslan’s attitude toward his colleague, saying further action would be taken.

“A swearing deputy does no good to himself, his party or Parliament. Both he and his party must and will do what is necessary,” Arınç told reporters.

Aslan apologizes 

Amid mounting pressure, Aslan resigned from his position as the commission chair but said he would not quit the AKP. However, Aslan said hours later he would do whatever is necessary for his party, hinting that he might resign from the AKP if the party administration asks for it. He apologized to the Parliament, the people and all women. 

On April 30, Aslan rushed to the rostrum while Genç was speaking, swearing at the main opposition party and threatening to kill him.

“The words Zeyid Aslan said do not suit our party,” said Arınç. “His words explicitly included insults and swear words. There are some deputies who are not suitable for the Parliament. It is the Parliament Speaker’s and party chairmen’s primary duty to solve such problems.” 

Aslan was sent to the Disciplinary Committee with a request that he be temporarily suspended from the AKP parliamentary group. He could be suspended from the group for between one month and one year, according to party bylaws. 

Meanwhile, the CHP has sent its Uşak deputy Dilek Akagün Yılmaz, who called the party’s deputy chair Sezgin Tanrıkulu a CIA spy last month, a notification that her comments were being sent to the disciplinary committee.