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Pro-Kurdish politician says one prime minister not enough for Turkey
ISTANBUL - Hurriyet Daily News
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The debate over the Kurdish issue and autonomy for Turkish regions has
heated up ahead of the general elections, with a pro-Kurdish
politician demanding `more than one' prime minister for the country.
`Turkey is too big of a country to be centrally governed by one prime
minister,' former pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP,
co-leader Selahattin Demirtas said Monday.
Demirtas, who is running as an independent candidate in the eastern
city of Hakkari, said local administrations should be given more
authority in order to overcome bureaucratic hurdles.
`The democratic autonomy we have been proposing is the solution to all
problems,' he said, adding that Ankara `should not run everything.'
The pro-Kurdish figure's statements came days after Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at an election rally, `There is no Kurdish
issue in this country.'
Demirtas called Erdogan's statement `a lie.'
`Erdogan says his party ended the Kurdish problem. In fact, the
Kurdish problem finished his party,' said Demirtas, arguing that the
ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, would fail in the
eastern and southeastern provinces in the June 12 polls.
Leyla Zana, a former parliamentary deputy who is now running as an
independent candidate in Diyarbakir, made more measured comments on
the topic.
`We must not have prejudices, this will be the way to a realistic
solution,' she said Tuesday when asked by a reporter in Diyarbakir if
a solution to the Kurdish issue is possible.
`The public has been distracted with lies for years when it came to
the Kurdish issue,' she added. `Promises ahead of a general election
are not enough. The issue is too serious and deep to be sacrificed for
the sake of a few votes. All parties should be very careful and
responsible when discussing the matter.'
Meanwhile, the main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, is
expected to release its offers of solution to the Kurdish issue on
Friday.
From: A. Papazian
Pro-Kurdish politician says one prime minister not enough for Turkey
ISTANBUL - Hurriyet Daily News
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The debate over the Kurdish issue and autonomy for Turkish regions has
heated up ahead of the general elections, with a pro-Kurdish
politician demanding `more than one' prime minister for the country.
`Turkey is too big of a country to be centrally governed by one prime
minister,' former pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP,
co-leader Selahattin Demirtas said Monday.
Demirtas, who is running as an independent candidate in the eastern
city of Hakkari, said local administrations should be given more
authority in order to overcome bureaucratic hurdles.
`The democratic autonomy we have been proposing is the solution to all
problems,' he said, adding that Ankara `should not run everything.'
The pro-Kurdish figure's statements came days after Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at an election rally, `There is no Kurdish
issue in this country.'
Demirtas called Erdogan's statement `a lie.'
`Erdogan says his party ended the Kurdish problem. In fact, the
Kurdish problem finished his party,' said Demirtas, arguing that the
ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, would fail in the
eastern and southeastern provinces in the June 12 polls.
Leyla Zana, a former parliamentary deputy who is now running as an
independent candidate in Diyarbakir, made more measured comments on
the topic.
`We must not have prejudices, this will be the way to a realistic
solution,' she said Tuesday when asked by a reporter in Diyarbakir if
a solution to the Kurdish issue is possible.
`The public has been distracted with lies for years when it came to
the Kurdish issue,' she added. `Promises ahead of a general election
are not enough. The issue is too serious and deep to be sacrificed for
the sake of a few votes. All parties should be very careful and
responsible when discussing the matter.'
Meanwhile, the main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, is
expected to release its offers of solution to the Kurdish issue on
Friday.
From: A. Papazian