ANKARA
By Diyar Guldogan
Turkey's main opposition party leader has called for the establishment of the social state to address issues like poverty and unemployment.
"Although the ruling party has been in power for 12 years, it has not succeeded in resolving unemployment, injustice, nor has it ensured fair treatement for all," Republican People's Party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said, speaking at a party group meeting on Tuesday,
"Turkey would have been in a different place now if justice had existed. If development had occurred, 2,5 million people would not have been unemployed," Kilicdaroglu said. If his party comes to power, it will ensure the establishment of the social state, he added.
"We are supporting the enrichment of people, not of the government," said Kilicdaroglu.
Kilicdaroglu also criticized the government for its handling of a mining disaster: The life of these people is on a knife's edge, he said. "The miners have no insurance," he pointed out.
Eighteen miners have been trapped since a water pipe inside a private lignite mine exploded near the Ermenek town in Karaman province.
Referring to the newly built Presidential Palace in Ankara, Kilicdaroglu said "With the taxes of those poor people, you built a thousand-room palace."
The palace at Ankara's Bestepe area will be the residence of the Turkish presidency, replacing the Cankaya Palace, which has been the traditional home of the Turkish president since the founding of the Republic of Turkey.
If his party comes to power, Kilicdaroglu added, it will give the palace to the Middle East Technical University.
"Turkey should get rid of this government through democratic means," said the party leader.
www.aa.com.tr/en
