Opposition deputy ‘rams’ Turkish parliament

ANKARA

CHP deputy Ensar Öğüt brought the ram in the trunk of his SUV to parliament’s garden for the unusual publicity stunt. DHA Photo

A deputy from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) held a press conference in parliament with a difference on Feb. 13 - accompanied by a live ram that he brought with him to raise awareness about the problems faced by Turkey’s stock breeders.

Ensar Öğüt, a CHP deputy from the eastern province of Ardahan, brought the ram in the trunk of his SUV to parliament’s garden for the unusual publicity stunt, Doğan News Agency reported.

“Turkey has been importing meat and livestock for the past five years and has paid nearly $5 billion in total for this,” Öğüt said in the press conference, struggling to hold the leash of the accompanying ram.

“Today, consumers must pay 30-40 Turkish Liras per kilogram for meat. So many people do not get enough protein because they are not able to afford meat,” he added.

Öğüt wanted to draw attention to the government’s misguided policies on animals throughout the country, but most journalists were more interested in the ram on parliament’s premises.

“Isn’t it torture for the ram to be transported in a car’s trunk?” one reporter asked.

“No, we brought it after properly feeding it. It was in my trunk. The policemen [of parliament] did nothing wrong. They didn’t check the car because I was driving it myself,” Öğüt answered.

He also made a pun, claiming that the “Turkish people will ram the government” in the June 7 elections.

With the help of parliament workers, Öğüt then cleaned the garden, because the ram had defecated on the grass during the press conference.