22nd Term Parliament Speaker Bülent Arınç on KHK Victims: “Turkey Cannot Afford These Compensation Costs”

One of the founders of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), former Deputy Prime Minister, and 22nd Term Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Bülent Arınç, made significant statements during the conference titled “Social Peace and the Relationship with Politics,” organized by the Full Democracy Platform. The focus of Arınç’s speech was on KHK victims and judicial processes in Turkey.

In his remarks, Arınç stressed that the KHK issue must be resolved, saying, “We are running out of time, and these decisions will eventually have to be implemented. Let it not be too late. Turkey’s budget cannot bear the compensation payments that will follow.”

Arınç stated that individuals who had been acquitted still continue to face social and economic sanctions. He emphasized that people cleared by criminal courts, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court are still being treated as guilty. Referring especially to dismissed public employees, Arınç noted that even former high-ranking bureaucrats have been forced to work in unrelated jobs in order to survive.

Highlighting the social impact of the grievances, Arınç said, “All they want is this: ‘I am not a traitor to my country; I want my dignity restored.’” He also underlined that decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court are constitutionally binding, pointing to Article 90 of the Turkish Constitution and the supremacy of international legal obligations.

Arınç additionally shared examples regarding humanitarian problems in prisons, drawing attention to the conditions faced by elderly and ill inmates. Stressing that society needs “to breathe and feel relief again,” he emphasized the importance of democracy and the rule of law.

The statements made during the conference sparked widespread discussion on social media, bringing KHK grievances and judicial processes back to the center of public debate.

Kaynak: Full Democracy Platform Conference