CHP leader pledges more events for disabled

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel has said municipalities run by his party will organize more events catering to disabled individuals.

His remarks came during a chess tournament held for the visually impaired at the CHP headquarters in the capital Ankara on Dec. 2.

Özel highlighted the feedback received from participants and vowed to take their suggestions as directives for future initiatives.

"The first table I visited wanted the [CHP-run] municipalities to do this [tournament] as well. We will convey this to our mayors as an assignment," he said.

The CHP secured around 37 percent of the votes in the March 31 local elections, surpassing the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) 35 percent. This marked the first time the CHP outperformed the latter.

Özel expressed joy in hosting the visually impaired players. "For us, the greatest happiness is to be able to contribute to such friendships and socializations," he said.

"We plan to learn from this first organization and improve it a little more each year."

The CHP leader said the tournament would serve as a model for raising awareness and setting examples for future programs.

"I will go out and make a thank you call to those friends [organizers] now," he remarked. "Because what is important is not getting a position, but a fragile group expressing their satisfaction with the service of that municipality."