‘Opposition will take its place in garbage of history,’ PM says

ANKARA

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has once again slammed the opposition for arguing against the constitutional amendment to be voted in a referendum on April 16. 

“Those who want to replace the national will; who have planned the July 15, 2016 coup; December 17-25; the Gezi events; September 12, 1980; and March 12, 1960; will be expired, they are taking their place in the garbage of history,” Yıldırım said at a rally in the Central Anatolian province of Karaman on March 28, referring to major events in Turkish political history such as the 1960 and 1980 military coups, the nationwide Gezi protests in 2013, and a major corruption case targeting government officials between Dec. 17 and 25, 2013. 

Criticizing opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for arguing against the charter, Yıldırım said he was lying. 

“Kılıçdaroğlu is opposing the charter because he does not have a goal to be in charge by working his way up by himself,” he said. 

“He tells 40 lies at once. Which one should I correct? Let him be, and we should mind our own business. They are like a diffused bomb,” he added. 

“With the new system, the uncertainty will be lifted. There will be no such thing as a dispute between the president and the prime minister because the system is changing, the presidential system is coming. You will decide on the power at the ballot,” he said, avidly supporting the new system that will be brought in by the changes if the “yes” votes prevail.  

“The governments will not be brought down by newspaper headlines. Politics cannot be played by lawmaker transfers, and the vote of confidence will be given by the public, not by the parliament. Not the lawmakers, the public themselves will give it at the ballot. You will do,” he said. 

“What they want is to continue with the 1982 model constitution despite all the negative aspects of it, to protect it so that no one could touch it. Because the constitution, as it is now, is a nice tool to block public will,” he said.