In remarks to a local broadcaster on Sunday, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said the terror-free Türkiye initiative did not face any delay or postponement after the PKK terrorist group announced it would dissolve itself.
Speaking to Kanal 7, Yılmaz said Türkiye now had a “new atmosphere” after the call by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli. Bahçeli spearheaded the initiative last year when he called on the terrorist group’s jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, to urge the PKK to lay down arms. Öcalan responded positively in February and made the call. The PKK, in return, announced on May 12 that it would dissolve itself. The initiative is strongly endorsed by the government, while authorities are set to monitor the process of the PKK’s handover of arms, expected to take place in Iraq.
Yılmaz said they were in a new and crucial stage now, and everything was “processing as it should have been." “Our main agenda now is seeing weapons are physically abandoned and the group dissolving itself. It will be confirmed through various mechanisms. We have measures in place,” he said. Yılmaz noted that Türkiye suffered much because of terrorism, from restrictions on democratic standards to development and the economy. “We want Türkiye to get rid of this weight permanently and move forward strongly in unity, with people respecting each other, with democratic standards raised,” he added.
Yılmaz denied any conditions or concessions in the process. “When arms are abandoned, Türkiye will have a new democratic atmosphere. Politics will be freed from the shadow of terrorism and all parties, particularly DEM, will openly voice their opinions,” he said, referring to the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) associated with the terrorist group. The DEM Party has been instrumental in the initiative, relaying messages of Öcalan to the public and discussing the initiative with other political parties for a consensus on a terror-free Türkiye.
The vice president also spoke about working on a new constitution, as the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) proposed. “Türkiye deserves a civilian constitution. It deserves to be saved from a constitution drafted in the coup era,” he said, referring to the current one prepared by the military junta, which seized power in 1980. “This is internationally important. Our efforts will intensify after Bayram,” he said, referring to the upcoming Muslim holiday Qurban Bayram or Eid al-Adha, which will begin this Friday. “We won’t talk among ourselves. A delegation is being formed to steer the process. Türkiye has experience and past work on this matter. Everything will be considered. The process will move forward with consultations and technical studies. We expect the same vigor from other parties, particularly the main opposition (Republican People’s Party or CHP),” he said.
