EU out, Shanghai Five in for the AKP gov’t: CHP chief

ANKARA

The CHP chief urged TÜGİAD members to speak out against the government’s 'undemocratic moves.' Hürriyet Photo

Turkey’s current rulers are actively aspiring for membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) instead of the European Union, main opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has said, adding that the government has already declared its will to "abandon democracy and move toward dictatorship."

“Which one of these countries has democracy? Is there democracy in China, in Russia? A will to disclaim democracy is being openly declared [in Turkey]. Changing this grave picture is in our hands,” Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kılıçdaroğlu said on Dec. 16 at a gathering with executives of the Young Businessmen Association of Turkey (TÜGİAD).

“Turkey is on a different route now. We are in a process during which corruption is being legitimized. The European Union is out, the Shanghai Five is in," he added.

“There is a big game played with Turkey. It is in front of our eyes, but we can’t see it," Kılıçdaroğlu added, repeating his call for people, regardless of their political views, to unite under the CHP to "save democracy."

The CHP head urged TÜGİAD to speak out against the government’s "undemocratic moves"

“A country where the press is not free will not a have a free society either. Your door will be knocked on in the early morning and you will be taken into custody by the police. The private sector is timid. Turkey can grow only if the private sector can move freely,” he said.

“If you say 'recent legal amendments are correct, arresting people just on the grounds of reasonable suspicion is right, and the Middle East is enough for us,’ then this current order will continue. But if you embrace the rule of law, a social state and a free media, then your address is the EU. We will continue to speak up on all these issues,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

He added that the responsibility to protect democratic achievements did not solely fall on the shoulders of the opposition, stressing that business leaders also had a share in the struggle.

“You also have the responsibility. We’ll fight all together. There are elections in 2015 and we should make our democracy a first-class democracy,” he said.