CHP Istanbul Deputy Barış Yarkadaş said, “This is not an election; it is a referendum… Regardless of what party you vote for, you should vote ‘NO’ to this referendum.”
CHP Istanbul Deputy Yarkadaş who has given a speech at Şahverdi Town Society’s (tied to Erzincan’s Refahiye County) dinner, has called out to everyone to go to the ballots and vote.
He called out
Yarkadaş who urged everyone to vote ‘NO’ to the constitution draft that passed from the parliament, has said:
“If this constitution draft passes with the votes of the public, it wouldn’t mean anything for Erzincan to have a MP… Hence, they want to take all of the authority from the parliament, and the members of the parliament, and give it to a single person. It is absolutely impossible for us to accept this change in our constitution, thereby this change of our regime.”
They are targeting Atatürk’s Republic
Yarkadaş drew attention to what might happen with the change in the constitution with the words:
“At this point, certain individuals ask themselves the question, ‘Could we first change the regime with this new constitution, could we then get Atatürk out of the picture?’ Lets send them a message and tell them we are saying ‘NO’. Let say ‘NO’ all together now.”
People got up and chanted ‘NO’
Following the words of Yarkadaş, people in the ballroom got off their seats and chanted “NO, NO”. Yarkadaş accordingly said:
“We shall make it clear here once again that we will never allow Atatürk’s picture to be taken off, we will always protect Atatürk’s republic and the parliament he commended to us.”
“This is not only a matter for our party, it’s a matter for our country”
CHP’s Yarkadaş, throughout his speech, said “Our concern with this country has nothing to do with individuals; no one can change this country’s regime through a new constitution or any other way.” CHP Deputy also said:
“When this referendum takes place, we shall urge everyone, may they be a CHP, an AKP, a MHP or a HDP supporter to go to the ballots and vote. We should create a suitable environment for everyone without discriminating so that everyone could vote.
My request from you is:
Convince your friends, neighbors, relatives to vote ‘NO’… Take them to the ballots so that they could protect Atatürk’s republic. Even a single vote carries the outmost importance.
I am not telling you ‘come and vote for Republican People’s Party (CHP)’. Within you, there can be citizens who vote for different parties. I respect their decisions but this is a referendum, it’s not a matter of which party you embrace. This is a matter for our country’s future.
Everyone who loves their country, loves their flag, loves their native land and wants to protect the parliament Atatürk had put together must say ‘NO’ to this constitution draft and oppose this regime change.
For once more, I am getting my hopes up for my country and I know; Erzincan and Turkey in general will vote ‘NO’ to this referendum.
