Özgür Özel in Milas: Cancel the Expropriation Decree for Akbelen Forest
Özgür Özel, the leader of Turkey’s Republican People’s Party (CHP), strongly criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his party’s 89th protest rally in the district of Milas. He called on members of the Constitutional Court to resist the decision by canceling the expropriation decree for Akbelen Forest.
The “Rising Up for the National Will” rallies, which have been held since last March to demand the freedom of imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and early elections, continued yesterday in the Milas district of Muğla province.
Addressing the judges of the Constitutional Court at the rally, Özgür Özel said: “For the sake of these living beings, for the sake of this beautiful country, I beg the Constitutional Court. Hear the voice of this nation, hear the voice of this forest. Do not commit a sin against these animals, these birds, and these trees. Tell this Erdoğan, ‘Enough is enough.'”
Referring to the transfer of Akbelen Forest to the Limak Company for mining operations, Özel claimed that President Erdoğan used the authority of “expedited expropriation,” which is reserved for national defense and emergency situations, for this purpose. Özel added: “This President is using wartime authority to hand over a forest to a mine. I hold everyone who voted for the AKP but loves the forest particularly accountable for this.”
The CHP leader reminded that his party has submitted a request to the Constitutional Court to annul this decree and addressed the court members, emphasizing: “Stop this injustice, cancel it.”
In another part of his speech, Özel reacted to Erdoğan’s recent comments about him. Following the protests by CHP deputies during the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, Erdoğan had told Özel, “You are not capable of stopping me; you have neither the power nor the strength to stop this path.” In response, Özel said: “This is the first time I’ve heard the truth from Erdoğan. I have no intention of stopping you from leaving; it is this nation that will kick you out.”
Furthermore, imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, in a letter from prison addressed to the rally participants, reacted to Tunç’s appointment, writing: “In this person, you can see the reason for all injustices. They have established a regime where you can only advance by following the orders of one man, not by fulfilling your duty to the nation.”
Emphasizing that this government has destroyed the foundations of justice, İmamoğlu added: “We will not tolerate this corrupt regime that ignores its citizens and discredits institutions.”
Concluding his speech, Özgür Özel once again called for early elections, stating: “We are not asking Erdoğan for a raise or free housing. We want only one thing: early elections.”
