Çelik: Baykal seeking to disrupt harmony among state agencies

Çelik said the expression “hands off the TSK” sounded as if the military was something owned by Baykal and that some people were intervening in it. Speaking at a press conference yesterday at AK Party headquarters in Ankara, Çelik said: “The TSK is not an institution that belongs to Mr. Baykal or the CHP. It is not endowed with the task of protecting the CHP only. It is a reputable institution responsible for protecting Turkey against foreign enemies.” Baykal's words were uttered in criticism of the ongoing investigation into Ergenekon, a clandestine gang that allegedly plotted to overthrow the government, during which many members of the military have been detained or arrested.

Çelik said in yesterday’s statement: “The TSK is an institution given importance by this country. If there is a debate about junta members in public or one that is about ‘wannabe’ coup stagers, this is not directed at the TSK. The desire or rumors of a coup d’état are not worthy of Turkey. If there are individuals who have dreams of a coup, the entire institution of the TSK cannot be held responsible for that. Our judicial system will do what is necessary about them. There is a mentality in the Presidency, the Prime Ministry and other institutions to run the state in harmony. Mr. Baykal in particular is attempting to disrupt this harmony. His efforts are in vain; that is not going to happen.”

Çelik stated that the CHP had encouraged the 1960 coup in Turkey and was the driving force behind it. “In the Feb. 28 [1997] process, the CHP applauded the military. They were silent when the military issued the April 27 [2007] communiqué. Take out all that Baykal said in the past about [alleged coup d’état plots] Sarıkız [Blonde Girl], Ayışığı [Moonlight], Yakamoz [Sea Sparkle], Eldiven [Glove], Balyoz [Sledgehammer] and Kafes [Cage], see what he said about the wet signature [below another alleged coup plan]. Not only that, he has failed to act like a leader of a democratic political party; he spoke in defense [of suspects] without any information as soon as the allegations came up the first time. He has either acted like a lawyer or taken an outright accusatory stance [against prosecutors]. Let us wait until the judiciary makes its decision. Everybody should refrain from assuming an attitude that might influence the independence of the judiciary.”

Improper statements

Çelik also criticized Baykal for having accused the AK Party of “raping the law,” saying the expression was highly inappropriate for an opposition leader. “I condemn Baykal for those words,” he stated. He said the judiciary’s independence was something that had to be upheld by everyone. He said that prior to the AK Party government, the judiciary was far from being independent and had serious infrastructural problems. “The things done by our government regarding the physical infrastructure of the judiciary make it impossible to even compare it to the state of the judiciary before.” He said the government had also made changes to the “chemistry” of the judiciary. He stated that his party never intended to manipulate the judiciary to serve its political aims and that it never will.

He also accused Baykal of having lied regarding the fraud case of the Deniz Feneri (Lighthouse) charity organization, saying the Deniz Feneri investigation being conducted in Germany and the Deniz Feneri investigation being conducted by the Ankara Prosecutor’s Office were two different probes, accusing Baykal of attempting to falsely associate these with each other.

Criticism of Bahçeli

Çelik also criticized Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) head Devlet Bahçeli for his harsh style in Tuesday’s parliamentary group meeting. He said Bahçeli in the past year was assuming a style in his discourse that is not even worthy of football fans in the stands.

In his statement yesterday, Çelik also recalled that CHP İzmir deputy Ahmet Ersin was being accused of having talked to a key witness in an investigation in Erzincan, being conducted as part of the larger probe into Ergenekon. “I won’t say it is the CHP that actually rapes the judiciary; I won’t say that. It is not the kind of language I would use. This is ultra abnormal. You talk to confidential witnesses trying to convince them to withdraw their statements. A deputy does not have the right to change the course of a trial.”