Muharrem İnce speaks to Cumhuriyet

Yesterday’s halt for the CHP’s presidential candidate Muharrem İnce was his mother’s home of Rize. İnce, who arrived in Trabzon by plane the day before yesterday, met civil society organisation representatives at the hotel where he was staying before setting off to Rize for the rally. Only Cumhuriyet was present in Muharrem İnce’s bus that set out directly for Rize following this meeting. The CHP candidate replied to our questions on hot issues from his meeting with President Erdoğan to Doğu Perinçek’s comment that they would not support him in the second round:

-You came together with President Erdoğan at AKP Headquarters. Why did you ask for this meeting?

We are touring all corners of Turkey. We started from Edirne and went right out to Hakkari from there. Now we are on the way to Rize. I want to embrace the whole of Turkey. I wanted to meet everyone who is standing in this contest and wish them all the best. This contest must be fair. We are going around and campaigning. But Demirtaş cannot do the rounds. I do not find this to be correct. I am not of the same opinion as him, but I cannot tolerate one standing as my opponent against me being in detention. I want him to come and compete together on equal terms. I told him the same thing during my visit in prison in Edirne. I wished him all the best. I wanted to speak to Mr Erdoğan for the same purpose.

“The host’s honour”

-Well, apart from good wishes, did you make any kind of suggestion to Erdoğan about gentlemanliness or the election process passing peacefully? Or, was there a message you especially gave?

Most certainly, after having exchanged mutual good luck wishes, I made a most forthright appeal to him. I said precisely the following to his face: “You have governed the country for sixteen years. Now stand aside and let me govern for five years. Nothing will happen and it will be far more favourable for the country.” Erdoğan immediately objected to the words “sixteen years.” Referring to the period he had been president, he wanted to correct me, saying, “Three and a half years not sixteen.” And I replied at once: “Why, do you not count the years you were prime minister?”

-Two details in the photograph issued after your meeting have attracted a lot of talk. One of them is your being without a tie, and the other is Erdoğan giving his visitors “low chairs.”

Let me start with the tie. I was at the Edirne rally. I was there without a tie and my intention was to pass on directly from there to Hakkari. But, they called and notified the time of the appointment. I went to Ankara as soon as the rally ended, that is why. There was no time for a change of clothes. I went still sweating from the rally, otherwise I did not especially go there without a tie. Turning to the chair issue. It is the host’s glory and honour as to where he will seat the guest. This is not something that concerns me. I will sit wherever he tells me to sit.

-After you had completed your tour of all the candidates, Vatan Party leader Doğu Perinçek managed to become a candidate, having got more than 100,000 signatures. Are you contemplating meeting him, too?

I had such a firm intention. I made an appeal for more signatures when he was stuck at 80,000. In fact, he also expressed his thanks. But he made a fresh announcement saying, “We will not give support in the second round.” He made a needless comment. So, I am no longer contemplating a meeting.

-With the candidates becoming known, the campaigning process has sped up. How do you see your own chances in this process?

Mr Mumay, it is all wrapped up. We have pulled it off. Everywhere we go we are engulfed in a stupendous atmosphere. I say in all sincerity that I have no other rival.

-Apart from the CHP electorate, which groups’ votes you are courting?

I have no such special target. I am targeting the interest, support and votes of the whole of Turkey. There were colleagues who commented in the days we were debating who was to be the CHP’s candidate. They were humiliated. To avoid further humiliation they should make their comments having consulted the people. Otherwise, they will be humiliated again. I will just say the following. I will not mention a percentage, but, trust me, there will be an explosion at the ballot box. This is what I sense. I will be Turkey’s president.

“Ünal put his foot in it”

-I would like to return to your meeting in Hakkari. An interesting comment came from AKP Spokesperson Mahir Ünal about the rally, where you said, “Whatever I say in Edirne, I have come to say the same here, too.” He said, “Everyone was pained by a party having the name of “People’s Party” when the Republic was formed holding a rally imbued with the PKK’s policies in Hakkari.” How do you assess this statement?

I say he put his foot in it. He put his foot in it. I mean, we were not going beyond Sivas? I went to Hakkari to the accompaniment of the Izmir March. I held a rally beneath Turkish flags. If he has the courage, let him go and do it for me to see. They were about to boo Erdoğan there and I didn’t let them. I have no tie with any terrorist organisation. Neither the PKK, nor Islamic State, nor FETO. Those who gave them all they wanted, who set up universities for them and made them into governors and generals cannot say this to us. We are people who come from the National Independence Army tradition. We are Ataturkist, republican and patriotic. Let Mr Ünal know his place.

“Let me see him try”

-Following the Hakkari rally, you revealed your assets to newspapers. Was there a special reason for you doing this and do you expect a similar declaration from the other candidates?

Mr Erdoğan called me a pauper. But, I am actually very rich. I am a wealthy man. How? I appreciate the taste of freedom, I can write poems and I can love everyone without distinguishing among people. I can embrace this country’s 81 million. Can there be greater wealth than this? I can be considered to have started alongside Erdoğan. We were getting nearly the same salary. He himself calls me a pauper. Some people get rich on the same salary and I do not understand how that happens. Wealth, not poverty, should be held to account.

-Under a measure passed through parliament, the Cabinet’s powers to issue decrees with the force of law were given statutory force. This bill also permits Erdoğan to exercise the powers until the new president is sworn in and takes up his/her post. How do you assess this as a presidential candidate?

Let me win the election and let me see him exercise those powers until I am sworn in! He will destroy the state until I am inaugurated, and I am to watch and permit this, is that so? Just let him try.

“That little girl was my great grandmother”

CHP presidential candidate Muharrem İnce said that he would support Akşener if she made it through to the second round. İnce replied, “If she makes me her helper, I am up for it. I do not have any such complex. I will get on the bus without a second thought. I will tour every inch of the country with her and I will get up on top of the bus and ask for votes. This is not about getting elected, the country is at stake.” Muharrem İnce gave the following account of the lighter he pulled from his pocket after the rally: “About 110 years ago a young man named Hüseyin from Rize goes to Yemen. Hüseyin goes from Yemen to Mekka and becomes a pilgrim. And his name becomes Pilgrim Hüseyin in official records. He comes to Rize after Mekka and his feet are ripped to shreds. Soldiers were assembling to go to Çanakkale and they don’t let him into the war because his feet are injured. His feet heal two months later. He says, “I will go, too.” He kisses his four kids and goes down to the wharf. The kids accompany their dad. He says, “I am going to the wars.” He gives them all a present and there is nothing left for the smallest daughter. And he gives her his lighter. That little girl carried that lighter for 92 years. That little girl was my great grandmother. Pilgrim Hüseyin was my mum’s grandfather. That lighter is this lighter! Nobody has the right to feign nationalness, allegiance to Rize or nationalism before me.”