CHP presidential candidate says he will first change judiciary after becoming president

Mr. MUHARREM INCE, CHP presidential candidate gave an interview to foreign media and emphasized that he was determined to change judiciary first after becoming president. Mr. INCE also shared some other very important points below about what kind of a president he would be in case elected.

In his interview CHP presidential candidate said following (quoted):

“I will change the judiciary first, after becoming President. We need to ensure independence of the judiciary. We need judges who will not stand up (to salute) when they see me. The judiciary should be able to judge me and Mr. Erdogan, both. It is a shame that the ideological identities of the judges are known to public. The president should not use slang/swear words such as “tezek” (cowpat). President must give confidence to the whole population.

In the upcoming period, I will announce my candidates for vice-president.

Looking from outside, foreign investors do not trust Turkey as they see the army and the judiciary are in the hands of one man, only. He has silenced everybody.

The President must be “man of his word”. He must be behind his word. There is a corrupted understanding of politics in Turkey. Politicians go to Diyarbakir in Turkey and speak differently as compared to what they say when they go to Edirne. I will speak the same everywhere. I will also talk about the Kurdish problem in Edirne (western Turkey). The Kurdish issue is an economic matter and a cultural issue. All this is okay, but the Kurdish question is also a moral question. People have always been deceived. They spoke differently. I will not do this.

I will continue to express “what I think”. We need to tell the truth. Some will get angry. I don’t care if they do. I feel responsible for 80 million. I may be wrong, but I will never lie.

We will solve the Kurdish problem with courageous steps. There has been an environment of conflict with the Kurds for 40 years. How are we to solve this? First, we will solve it, with frankness. Secondly, we’ll solve it in the parliament. Third, we will solve it by “not lying” and fourth, with brave steps. Everyone will say “Let us live together”. The AK Party is Turkey’s most reactionary party. Expecting a progressive step from the most reactionary party of Turkey is “unawareness”.

We need to get back to the parliamentary system. The budget of 80 million is in the hands of 1 person. I will not use the right to budget for 80 million in case I am elected president. When I’m elected, I will bring the TRT into line and ensure diversity (equal distance to all political parties etc.) on their programs. It will not be the voice of the government, only.

We will care much about education. We will reconfigure education to be secular and scientific. We will build hostels for our children and increase their scholarship funds. We will give confidence to markets and foreign capital, by making judiciary reliable. Our children will get jobs when the economy recovers.

In our power, we will have peace in the media. Turkey’s main opposition party announces its presidential candidate and mainstream media cannot make news. I take pity on them. But, I am angry with TRT (official Turkish State Television Channel). TRT operates on taxes collected from us.”