ANKARA -  Stating that the HDP congress will be the continuation of Newroz celebrated with the participation of millions in 70 cities, HDP Group Vice President Saruhan Oluç said: ”We will show that we are ready and full of energy in the upcoming period in the congress."

 

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) will hold its 5th Ordinary Grand Congress tomorrow at Ankara Sports Hall. It is expected that strong messages will be given about the policies of the new period at the congress.

 

MORE THAN 400 GUESTS WILL BE WELCOMED

 

HDP's component parties, including Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK), Democratic Society Congress (DTK), alliance of 7 parties which HDP is a component, Republican People's Party (CHP), Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), Future Party, Felicity Party , One Party, Left Party, Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), representatives of Kurdistan Alliance parties, as well as Saturday Mothers, Peace Mothers, the families of those murdered in Roboski, Sivas, Suruç, Ankara, Konya, Gezi Protests, Paris massacre and in the basements of Cizre and the  Şenyaşar, Tahir Elçi, Medeni Yıldırım, Deniz Poyraz and Garibe Gezer's families and also the families of imprisoned politicians and more than 400 representatives of institutions and individuals, including intellectuals, writers and artists, will participate in the congress.

 

THOUSAND 50 DELEGATES WILL VOTE

 

In the congress, where 50 delegates will cast their votes, Party Assembly members and Co-chairs will be elected. A large Advisory Board, which will include writers, intellectuals, artists and politicians from different circles, will also be announced at the congress.

 

HDP Group Vice President Saruhan Oluç evaluated the congress and the messages to be given to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA).

 

'WE WILL GIVE A STRONG MESSAGE'

 

Stating that work is being carried out in all cities of Turkey for the congress, Oluç said: “The pressures on our parties continue in the preparations for the congress. In many places our stands are blocked and those who open stands are detained. They tried to prevent us from handing out flyers for the Congress, but we continued our work anyway. We expect a strong participation. If they don't try to prevent the buses from coming, we will hold a strong congress. We have a wide range of guests, both domestic and international. We invited political parties, non-governmental organisations, associations, unions, professional associations, citizens' initiatives, opinion leaders, intellectuals, artists and writers. We think the participation will be strong. We invited political parties and opinion leaders from Europe to the Middle East. We will send a strong congress message.”

 

THERE HAS BEEN CHANGE IN PARTY COUNCIL

 

Adding that the list of those who will serve in the new term has been completed to a large extent, Oluç said: ”The equality of men and women in the Party Council structure is based on component and individual representations. The Disciplinary and Conciliation Boards were also elected. Our Reconciliation Commission unanimously took a proposal to the continuation of the co-chairs. Our co-chairs also welcomed this. Co-chairs will continue. There has been a great change in the Party Council. In each congress, there is a 60-70% change in the Party Council. This time there will be such a change. A younger, more dynamic party council will emerge. The number of MPs in the Party Council is kept at a certain rate. Apart from component representation, belief groups are also represented. All the differences within the HDP will be represented in the Party Council. The two-term rule was applied.”

 

'DIFFERENT OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US'

 

Stating that the Advisory Board will be activated in the new period, Oluç said: “The decision has been made to establish an Advisory Board. The importance of the Advisory Board; It is a board where we listen to the suggestions and criticisms of those who look at us from outside, including those who are not HDP members. In this respect, important discussions were held. A good Advisory Board was formed. It is important for us that the outsiders and the observers express their criticisms and suggestions from time to time in a way that we do not like. We want to evaluate this well. Sometimes, criticism and suggestions that we don't like allow us to improve our ideas and open our way. We have taken important decisions for the functional execution of the Advisory Board in the new period.”

 

THE CONGRES’ TARGET WILL BE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

 

Underlining that this congress will give important messages that HDP is against politics in Turkey, Oluç said:”In our message, we say 'we are the solution, we have the solution'. If the building of democracy and a democratic change and transformation will take place in Turkey in the upcoming period, the role of HDP is very important and we say, 'We are the solution force'. This is also true in terms of both presidential and parliamentary elections. In 2023, the Republic will complete its first century and enter the second century. Our main criticism of the Republic is that it is not democratic. Therefore, our main goal is to build a democratic republic. We will give a strong message of this in the congress.”

 

‘WE FOCUS ON SOCIAL OPPOSITION’

 

Noting that there will be an important determination regarding the democracy alliance and the building of a democratic republic in the congress, Oluç continued: “We will enter the second century with this claim. We say 'We Have the Solution' in terms of the key path in both the democracy alliance, the Presidential elections and the new Parliament to be formed. We will explain this in the strongest possible way. We have suggestions and policies regarding the solution of all the fundamental problems of Turkey. We will send the message to the society and all over the world how the 'We Have the Solution' should be realized. We are assertive. We think that the HDP is an important force of hope with its ideas, policy and organisation, a focus of courage and a focus of social opposition. We will give our message to realize this claim. This congress is not just any congress for us.”

 

'THE MESSAGE GIVEN IN NEWROZ WILL BE CONTINUED'

 

Oluç said: “We showed a very serious democratic resistance against the pressures against our party. It is necessary to continue to be stronger. When we look at the situation the country has come to and the multiple crisis experienced today, the way to overcome the political, social and economic crisis both in domestic and foreign policy is through a strong HDP. We have always said since the day the closure case was opened; HDP is an idea, a set of policies. Not just a store, but one that can be locked on its door. They may impose a closure, a political ban. But in Newroz, the people claimed their political will. It was passed with an incredible youth participation. It was very dynamic and we celebrated Newroz at 70 points of the country. Millions of people took to the streets and gave the message that they stood by their will. This congress will be the continuation of the message given at Newroz.”

 

'WE WILL GIVE A MESSAGE TO THE OPPOSITION AND THE GOVERNMENT'

 

Oluç said: ”We will show that we will take a step towards the next period with a strong, determined and combative structure. The HDP is also a negotiating party. We have said and will continue to say that all the problems of the society should be resolved through negotiation and dialogue. The Kurdish question is at the forefront of these problems. The Kurdish question is also a democracy problem. It is not possible to build democracy without a democratic and peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. They are intertwined issues. We will give our strong message on this issue to both the government and the opposition. We will also measure their reactions and attitudes. We are hopeful. We will send a strong, determined and combative HDP message to those who vote for HDP, both within the borders of the country, in the Middle East, and in the world.”

 

MA / Berivan Altan