“Massive Rally Planned for Istanbul: The Event of the Century”
Turkish President Erdogan Criticizes Opposition’s Rally in Van
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized the opposition’s rally in Van, in eastern Turkey. Speaking on TVnet, Erdogan accused the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), of launching a “freedom campaign for terrorists, not an election campaign”. He also expressed concern at the possibility of the party’s flag being displayed alongside the flag of a terrorist organization.
During the Van rally, slogans were chanted in support of Öcalan, leader of the separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party, and Selahattin Demirtas, a former leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party who is currently jailed on terrorism charges. Security personnel took action to prevent any violence, but the President believes that the opposition leaders’ response went too far, as they allegedly showed support for terrorism.
“Kılıçdaroğlu and one of his followers respond to those who shake the terrorist organization’s rags with the terrorist organization’s signal. Another is shooting bullets from the podium,” he said.
The opposition party leaders have not yet reacted to Erdogan’s criticism. The CHP is currently leading the electoral alliance with the center-left Good Party and the Islamist Felicity Party, in the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections, which are scheduled to be held in June. This is likely to increase tensions between the ruling party and the opposition in the run-up to the elections.
