CHP emerges the loser in controversial campaign banner row

The banner in question called on the voters to vote “no” in this Sunday's constitutional referendum arguing that a “yes” would mean approving Turkish women dressing like nuns. “We have found out how many banners were printed by whom and where. All those involved spoke up. The people who posted them on billboards also came forward.

The person who did this is CHP’s Avcılar Mayor Mustafa Değirmenci,” Atalay said on Saturday during a press conference. After the emergence of the highly controversial banner last week, the CHP denied responsibility for them and blamed the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), arguing that the ruling party was framing the CHP. CHP İstanbul Provincial Chairman Berhan Şimşek told reporters on Saturday that the banners have no link to the CHP and called on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Atalay to find those responsible for the “pirate banners.” He also filed a criminal complaint with the İstanbul Prosecutor’s Office.

CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu also said on Saturday that he had spoken with Şimşek and that he was convinced that the banners were not the work of the CHP, calling on the government to take action on the issue. “This is provocation. I feel sorry; a prime minister should not be so pitiful. The government will be responsible for [the banners] if they do not expose who is behind them,” he said.

The government’s response to the CHP came on Saturday evening from Atalay. Recalling that the CHP had accused the government of printing and posting the banners and that Kılıçdaroğlu even insulted Erdoğan by calling him “pitiful,” Atalay pointed to at Mayor Değirmenci. Stating that Ali Oral, an İstanbul city council member from the CHP, was also present when the banners were posted on billboards, Atalay added: “We are telling the CHP: ‘You did that. You may not be fully informed about what some of your party’s members did and you are using the term ‘low-down’ for our prime minister without shame. I am now announcing the names. We are announcing that Avcılar Mayor Değirmenci ordered these banners to be printed.”

Atalay also called on Kılıçdaroğlu and Şimşek to apologize to Prime Minister Erdoğan and the AK Party. However, CHP officials have thus far refused to apologize to the government.

Commenting on the issue, CHP Central Executive Board (MYK) member Gürsel Tekin on Saturday vowed to call those responsible for the banners to account. “This banner is wrong, regardless of which party posted it. The party administration will do what is necessary and punish those responsible,” he said.

Şimşek also stated that if what Atalay said is true, disciplinary action will be taken against Değirmenci. Meanwhile, Değirmenci is expected to make a statement on the subject today.

CHP parliamentary group deputy chairman Hakkı Süha Okay also announced yesterday that an intra-party probe would be launched into the controversial banner, underlining that the incident is unacceptable.