Turkey’s main opposition party (CHP) on Wednesday blamed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the earthquake’s devastating impact and called on its mayors to help the victims even as they face state power.
“I refuse to side with the government,” said CHP Social Democrat leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu in a video message, referring to the ruling party’s (AKP) calls for national unity after the earthquake, which even now has killed more than 6,900 people in Turkey. .
The official stressed that the CHP will not accept the bureaucratic obstacles imposed by opposition-controlled municipalities to distribute aid, and urged his party’s mayors to act alone.
“If they put up bureaucratic obstacles, do it anyway, don’t listen. If you get arrested for finding bread and blankets for the people, get arrested,” Kilicdaroglu told his party’s mayors and regional officials.
According to the CHP, in some earthquake-affected districts, the AKP intervenes in the distribution of aid if it comes from CHP-controlled municipalities, saying they cannot do this as “municipal aid” but must do so as “state aid”. staff”.
“We will get the needed help as soon as possible to the places where it is most needed. We are no longer interested in the politics of Saray (the presidential palace), nor in her PR activities, nor in her fake news,” said the leader of the opposition.
“Let me say very clearly: if there is one person responsible for this process, it is Erdogan, it is this government, which has not prepared the country for an earthquake for 20 years,” concluded Kilicdaroglu, a possible candidate at the scheduled presidential elections. for the following day, May 14.
As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, more than 9,600 fatalities had been recorded in Turkey and Syria, making this earthquake the deadliest in a decade.
Source: DN
