President Erdoğan sues CHP MP for 250,000 liras in compensation over ‘snob’ remark

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Turkey’s President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Aug. 26 sued Tuncay Özkan, İzmir deputy from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), over his “snob” remark.

On Aug. 25, Özkan quoted Erdoğan’s remarks on his social media account, as the latter accused the opposition of “exploiting morality” and “being elitist.”

In his speech in Van, Erdoğan said, “For years (the opposition) tried to lecture us on the environment, now they are looting Istanbul's most precious environmental treasure to the money lords. Behind the mask of populism, an elitism of ostentatiousness emerged, enjoying themselves in European capitals with the people's money. They have no agenda other than their own political prospects, their own future, and their own personal interests.”

The post that Özkan quoted only gave the following remark of Erdoğan addressing the CHP: “Show-off elitists.”

Özkan then called Erdoğan a “snob,” saying the latter is the one who is a “show-off elitist” for staying in the “palace.”

“You have 13 airplanes. You are living a luxury life. You have convoys of cars in the country and abroad. In 22 years, you have been the party of the rich by making people poor. You are the party that mocks the poor and the destitute. You have the dollar billionaires. The dungeons are ours, the palaces are yours, we are the ones that are show-off? Are you jealous? You palace snob!,” Özkan addressed Erdoğan.

Özkan’s remarks stirred a huge reaction among the AKP figures as they immediately called for judiciary action.

“Mr. President is a leader who grew up from within of our nation. He has dedicated his life to a great and strong Turkey. The improper and ugly statements against our President… are never acceptable,” Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said, “condemning” Özkan.

Tunç added that a judicial investigation was initiated against Özkan.

AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik deemed Özkan’s remarks “lacking of political morality and ugly.”

“Tuncay Özkan asshole!!!,” AKP MP and former Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said.

Another AKP MP, Mahmut Rıdvan Nazırlı, insulted Özkan and called him “s.n of a bitch.”

Erdoğan’s lawyer Hüseyin Aydın on Aug. 26 announced that Erdoğan filed a lawsuit against Özkan, demanding to be paid 250,000 liras in compensation for non-pecuniary damages.

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