The anniversary of the death of the founder of modern Turkey turned into a heated debate Tuesday as the ruling party attempted to discuss in Turkish Parliament its Kurdish initiative to end the 25-year terror problem. At the start of discussions, pro-opposition MPs of Republican People’s Party (CHP) and National Movement Party (MHP) did not allow Interior Minister Beşir Atalay to deliver speech as the latter took the floor. Banners that read “Atatürk, we are following your path” and “The Republic is your legacy and it is we who will perpetuate it” were opened by CHP deputies.
Pro-opposition MPs criticized the AKP’s decision to discuss the Kurdish move on Nov. 10, Atatürk Memory Day.
Parliament speaker Mehmet Ali Şahin warned the CHP and MHP deputies that Parliament was not a rally. He called on the opposition deputies to lower the banners. He then recessed the session for five minutes and then started the session, Hurriyet Daily News reports.
