Turkey needs major change, opposition leader says

ANKARA

Leaders of political parties issued messages on the occasion of the Eid al-Fitr, with the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) party leader suggesting that Turkey needs a major change for its future.

“For a genuine feast in Turkey, we need a major change and the prevalence of meritocracy,” Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said in a message on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

Along with the excitement of Eid al-Fitr, people are also enthusiastic as they are getting rid of the COVID-19, Kılıçdaroğlu said, stating, “But we should never forget the lessons we have learned from the pandemic. We learned how valuable solidarity is and how important it is to be a social state. It’s essentially important in our country where most people have been subject to poverty.”

The CHP leader said the opposition municipalities will continue their efforts to deliver help to the needy ones, stating, “Ending poverty, reinstating justice and crowing our republic with democracy in this beautiful country are our fundamental objectives.”

Devlet Bahçeli, the chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), expressed his wish for a terror-free Turkey in a statement after his prayer on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

Recalling that Turkey’s ongoing fight against terror continues during Eid al-Fitr, losing soldiers who became martyrs for their land, Bahçeli said: “As a result of the unending fight against terror, our soldiers were martyred, but in return, we came to a point to fully eliminate terrorists. This process will continue.”

On a question about the statements by Kılıçdaroğlu, who had said that he will continue to fight against those who are selling the homeland, Bahçeli said, “Unfortunately, a recent statement by Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu does not fit well with the CHP, a rooted political institution.”

He also criticized the six-way opposition alliance, the People Alliance, stressing, “We don’t know how this story about the six-way table will end.”