AKP responds to Akşener's “armed training camps” allegation

Mahir Ünal, participating on the “What’s Happening” programme presented by Şirin Payzın, responded to questions about the latest events. Mahir Ünal was also asked about Meral Akşener's claims that have risen to prominence thanks to today’s column by Saygı Öztürk in Sözcü Newspaper.
 
Öztürk noted in his column today that Akşener had said, “We hear that there are armed training camps in Tokat and Konya. These claims are doing the rounds. Let it be investigated and let us be informed. There is a great deal of talk of these playing a role in the election period and of them creating disorder if the desired result does not emerge.”
 
MAHİR ÜNAL: “CRYING OUT FOR CIVIL WAR”
 
Mahir Ünal accused Akşener of “crying out for civil war to get in the limelight.”
 
Ünal, saying “How irresponsible is this? What kind of language is this?” commented, “Such and such a thing is supposedly being done at some place or other. Such and such a thing will be done to Alevis at some place or other. Prior to 12 September, there was supposed to be commando training at some place or other. There categorically can be no such thing. The Republic of Turkey state is firmly in place. It is on duty for 24 hours. There is no such thing. Talking of such a thing is above all irresponsibility. This is crying out for civil war.
 
“I SEE NO NEED EVEN TO DISCUSS IT HERE”
 
I see no need even to discuss such a thing here just now. Unfortunately, this structure was aiming to get itself talked about by throwing up this ridiculous allegation and you see that it has become an issue.”
 
“NOTHING BELONGING TO THE TURKISH ARMED FORCES WAS TAKEN”
 
- “Did certain arms change hands on the evening of 15-16 July?” “Everything took place before our eyes on that evening. That evening had its morality. The people handed in those weapons to the state that evening. That evening nothing belonging to the Turkish armed forces was confiscated and nothing went missing. Quite the reverse, they were taken by the police and added to the inventory again. Had the people confiscated those weapons that evening they would have executed those who attempted the coup.”
 
COMMENT ON “PEOPLE’S SPECIAL OPERATIONS”: IF IT VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION THE STATE WILL CRACK DOWN ON IT
 
Party Spokesperson Mahir Ünal commented on the “association” set up under the name of “People’s Special Operations.”
 
Mahir Ünal, asking if there could be such a thing as “People’s Special Operations,” commented:
 
“The moment a group called the “People’s Special Operations” comes out and makes the claim that it is a militia in violation of the Constitution, the state will crack down on it. There is no such thing.
 
We, until now, in the history of the Republic of Turkey, and include the Ottoman Empire or even in fact constitutionalism within this, if any problem at all crops up in the regulations you have made, you make new regulations concerning these regulations. In fact, this is what making laws amounts to. You make a statutory regulation and then, if a problem crops up, since it isn’t written in stone. At the end of the day, constitutions and statutes are actually things having a duration. Let us say that we do not foresee it leading to such a thing.”
 
“If we are to discuss abstruseness, there is a great deal of abstruseness for us to discuss.”
 
Mahir Ünal was also asked about eleventh president Abdullah Gül speaking out about the judicial immunity for citizens in the latest decree with the force of law.
 
With Şirin Payzın inquiring about Abdullah Gül’s criticism that he made over the decree with the force of law granting judicial immunity to civilians, Ünal responded as follows:
 
“Above all else, Mr Abdullah Gül is our president’s travelling companion. He is not one of the AK Party’s founders. He is among the founding members of parliament. He is a member of the founders’ board. The thing that we stress is that AK Party people do not talk about one another through the media. The AK Party is a national movement. It has values internal to it. Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Mr Abdullah Gül have a special amicable relationship. Our President Erdoğan does not easily abandon his travelling companions. Mr Gül was not a president elected by the people. So, I can understand him adopting an independent position just like previous presidents. But, when we look at his positions after having stood down as president, Mr Gül’s remaining on the sidelines over certain issues and engaging in more sterile rhetoric by standing on the sidelines and taking no risk is his own preference. But, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is one who takes every risk until the end in all disputes.
 
Erdoğan is engaging in this fight for the country. You make absolutely no comment during this fight, but you comment on this issue. Indeed, you may put forward the comment you made or absolutely any comment by way of suggestion, solution and viewpoint and this is a very valuable thought. You can speak about this through the media.
 
I mean, you say it is abstruse. If we are to discuss abstruseness, there is a great deal of abstruseness for us to discuss. I mean, the abstruseness in terms of relationship. Abstruseness in terms of taking a position. Abstruseness in terms of taking risk. Abstruseness in not leaving that comfort zone and remaining within that sterile position. We are not discussing these things. The base wants to see Abdullah Gül as one of the AK Party’s most important actors as a risk-taking actor.”