The leader of Turkey’s opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kemal Kilicdaroglu, met with Syrians in Kilis province and presented them with a plan he intends to implement within two years if he wins the next presidential election.
He met with 50 Syrians. The newspaper Cumhuriyet reported on Saturday that they were from “different backgrounds in the state of Kilis,” as it put it.
Kilicdaroglu spoke of his promises to Syrians of “safety” while denying his intention to return any refugees “forcibly” and that “we will build a life there with EU money.”
In turn, Cumhuriyet explained that the leader of the People’s Party refuted the plan that he intends to implement within two years regarding the Syrian refugee issue.
“If the CHP wins the elections, the first step it intends to take is to meet with the legitimate government in Syria and open embassies to each other.”
“Houses, schools and roads will be built for refugees going to Syria, thanks to funds provided by the EU and agreements with Turkish contractors,” the plan said.
“Businessmen in Turkey will also be allowed to reopen their factories in Syria,” Kilicdaroglu said, published by the newspaper close to his party.
Since the beginning of 2021, the issue of Syrian refugees in Turkey has been at the forefront of the talk of opposition parties. They have tended to pressure the government, demanding their return to their country and restricting their businesses, which have grown significantly, according to official data.
Kilicdaroglu has repeatedly warned the Turkish government that refugees “pose a threat to national security.”
Kilicdaroglu has repeatedly vowed that his party will bring every Syrian back to his country if he takes power in the country’s upcoming elections, denying the move was “racist.”
In response, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “They turned to us. They are begging for safety. We can’t ask them to go back to where they were.”
Earlier this year, he added: “As long as I am president of Turkey, no one will be able to expel the Syrians.”
Meanwhile, Erdogan announced months ago a plan to return one million Syrian refugees “voluntarily” to what he described as a “safe zone” in northern Syria.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
