Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Pervin Buldan spoke at the 2nd Extraordinary meeting of the party in Mersin province.

“Turkey has become a country struggling with one of the deepest crisis in history and chaos”, said Buldan adding: “We are faced with a deepening and social crisis and we’d like to remind of the promises made before the 24 June elections. Particularly after the Presidential election, we followed the promises of peace in this country and prosperity. The situation is one of a society being dragged into a situation it did not want, a situation of war and conflict, beginning with the policies on Syria and a war policy”.

The wars, said Buldan, “actually triggered the economic crisis. A government that cannot establish peace within its own community would not be able to bring peace in Syria”.

AKP is not governing

Buldan said the crisis has to do with the inability of the AKP to run the country. “Those who say there is no crisis – she added – are looking at this country from the palace’s window”.

Buldan stressed that the cause of the crisis lies in Imrali, in the isolation regime imposed on Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan. “We have been exposing this violation for about 20 years. During the talks between 2011-2015, we witnessed a period of peace and hope in this country. We know that Öcalan holds the key to the solution of the problems not just in Turkey but in the Middle East. They were afraid of this process – added Buldan - because it is a manifesto for determining the Middle East politics”.

The AKP dream fell apart on 24 June

On June 24, said Buldan, “we did not get the AKP out of power, but we destroyed its dreams. The AKP wanted to enter parliament with 400 deputies, but we turned its dream into a nightmare. Today they have to govern in a coalition with the MHP”.

Local Elections

Local elections are an important opportunity, said Buldan.

“Mersin is a pilot region. – she added - Here alliances are to be made, forces have to join up in order to push the AKP-MHP coalition back”.

Reminding how Kurdish municipalities have been usurped by the AKP, Buldan said that “it is our duty to take our municipalities back”.

Buldan stressed that the local elections provide an “opportunity not to be missed”.

The HDP Co-Chair also reminded that on Monday the Parliament will open again.

“The new legislative year will see an important process for determining the political agenda in Turkey”, said Buldan, reminding that HDP deputy Leyla Güven is still in prison.

Buldan also reminded that an amnesty law is on the agenda. “But we need to talk about justice – said the HDP Co-Chair – before discussing about amnesty”.

The HDP will continue to be a hope, said Buldan ending her remarks. “We will continue to defend peace and democracy. As long as the HDP is standing, there will be a party that never trades freedom, peace and democracy in this country”.