ANKARA – Speaking after the meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament, İmralı Delegation member Pervin Buldan said: “The process has reached an important stage and we will share these in the coming days. Delegation member Mithat Sancar emphasised that the Parliament will play a vital role in securing the process legally. 

 

People’s Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party İmralı Delegation members Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar made a statement at the Parliament after their meeting with Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş. 

 

Pervin Buldan said that in their meetings they discussed the process and it was positive: “We think that the interest, concern and responsibility shown by Mr Kurtulmuş to the process is very important. We thank him once again for his contribution to the process. Our meetings with him will be much more frequent in the coming days. We will hold more detailed and comprehensive meetings. The process has reached an important stage. We will share these stages in the coming days.”

 

'THERE WILL BE TALKS'

 

Stating that they have reached an important stage, Pervin Buldan said: “We think it is important that this process is carried out on the parliamentary ground. In two weeks we will meet Mr Bahçeli, Mr Özgür Özel and Mr Erdoğan and at the end of these meetings we will have a meeting with Mr Öcalan in İmralı. We will continue the talks in order for the process to proceed in a positive way."

 

SANCAR: STRENGTHENING WITH SOCIAL PARTICIPATION

 

Mithat Sancar said: "For a long time, it has been discussed that the Parliament should step in to ensure that the process continues to strengthen with social participation and support, and that it takes much stronger steps towards peace. This was also our request. There is a consensus among the public and political parties that a commission should be established in the Parliament. Negotiations on the terms of the commission and other details are ongoing.

 

WILL PLAY A VITAL ROLE

 

Sancar said: “As you know, Mr Kurtulmuş asked for written opinions after his meeting with the deputy chairpersons of the parties with groups. On Monday, after the opinions are received, the issues of what kind of commission and how it will work will become more concrete. We have shared our ideas on this issue, and as always, we said that we are open to consultation. We have no doubt that the Parliament's involvement will put this process on much more solid feet. The Parliament will play a vital role in terms of social legitimacy, legal assurance and solid progress.”

 

WE FIND THE GROUND FOR CONSENSUS IN PARLIAMENT IMPORTANT

 

Sancar concluded: “The will and desire of the Speaker of the Assembly on this issue is very strong. We see this every time, we witness this every time. Seeing that he is open to all kinds of work on this issue is an important opportunity for the Parliament to play its role. We find it important for all parties to express their criticisms and objections constructively in this process in order to strengthen the search for dialogue and reconciliation in the Parliament. Yes, everyone can have criticisms, objections and reservations. However, expressing them in a democratic style and on the floor of the Parliament in search of reconciliation will make a great contribution to social peace."

 

MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT

 

After Sancar's speech, Pervin Buldan answered journalists' questions. Answering a question about the planned meeting with AKP Leader and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Pervin Buldan said: "Our meeting with Mr President will take place as soon as possible. However, we do not have a timetable at the moment. Probably next week is being considered. We are waiting for their return, they will inform us the date.”

 

'KOBANI CASE IS NULL AND VOID'

 

Pervin Buldan gave the following answer to the question about the Kobani Case, whose reasoned decision was announced yesterday:  "The fact that the long-awaited reasoned decision in the Kobani Case has just come out, that a very long decision has come out, of course, shows us that the Kobani Case has fallen once again. Our friends have been imprisoned for about 7.5 years due to the Kobani Case. However, the reasoned verdict is very meaningful. There is nothing tangible in it, nothing that contains an element of crime for our friends. They have been imprisoned for 7.5 years unjustly and unlawfully. All our friends, especially Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, should be released as soon as possible by putting an end to this unlawfulness. Because when we look at the reasoned judgement, the Kobani Case has been dismissed and is null and void."

 

'WE WILL PLAN ACCORDING TO STAGES'

 

Speaking about the visits they will make in the coming period, Pervin Buldan stressed: "We will plan the visits according to the stages. We will evaluate this according to the stages reached. Maybe the priority will be İmralı and then the parties. It makes no difference to us, but we evaluate this according to the stages. We do not have a calendar at the moment. The commission to be established in the Turkish Grand National Assembly will be established as soon as possible and with consensus.”