DEM co-leader responds to speculations of cooperation with AKP

Tuncer Bakırhan, Co-Chair of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), appeared on the live broadcast of a KRT TV program hosted by İnan Demirel last night (February 20).

Demirel asked Bakırhan about the prolonged debate on whether DEM Party would nominate candidates in İstanbul: "The question of whether DEM Party would nominate candidates in İstanbul has been discussed for days. The significance of nominating candidates and not nominating them has been pondered. İstanbul is a critical city, and there has been a separate debate within DEM Party. Do you not find it strange that these critical documents were taken just 5 minutes before 5:00 PM, and if there is any deficiency?"

Bakırhan responded to Demirel's question, saying, "There is no deficiency in the documents. Celal Fırat, our İstanbul Deputy, is not at the electoral board, perhaps he heard it from someone else. Our candidates have been working in İstanbul for a week, holding meetings in almost every district. There is no problem in this regard; we have nominated our candidates, started our work, and selected our council member candidates. I heard and asked about these speculations before coming here, and there is no problem. The candidate lists of all parties are finalized at the last moment because of what we call 'urban consensus.' It involves the collaboration of some districts, trying to achieve urban consensus. Therefore, it is normal for it to be last-minute."

"Cheap tricks"

When asked about the speculations yesterday following the party’s last-minute delivery of its candidate lists to the provincial electoral council, Bakırhan said, "We are not like other parties. If we do not nominate candidates in İstanbul, we say we do not. We don't owe anyone. When we nominate candidates, debates arise about us making deals with the AKP on some TV channels. When we do not nominate candidates, speculations of collaboration with the CHP emerge. Unfortunately, we cannot find a place in TV programs discussing DEM Party. Each channel makes a different interpretation of DEM Party."

"We don't owe anyone anything"

Bakırhan highlighted in his speech that DEM Party is not a party that should always supports the CHP. He explained, "We want to connect with our base. The fact that we nominate candidates in İstanbul has nothing to do with İmamoğlu. Is it strange that we nominate candidates in the city where we are the third-largest party?"

"We do not owe anyone anything," Bakırhan continued. He clarified that DEM Party is transparent and has no economic, rent-related, or contractual ties with anyone. He expressed, "We move forward by discussing, consulting with our people. If the AKP says they want to solve the Kurdish issue democratically, we would sit down with them again. But this has nothing to do with elections." (RT/VK)