Our interview’s day, 19th September 2015, one day before the third election which will be repeated in ten months, Thessaloniki is quite again in the third day of the Greenwave Festival which coordinated fourth in this year.
Ertuğrul Kürkçü’s is coming to Thessaloniki that is very important for Greenwave Festival who rides a bicycle in Turkey as an official car. His offer about helping to Greece, it was not cause only making an overwhelming impression, but also it caused a positive impression. For this reason, while the start to ask questions about his participation in a panel issue of immigrants as part of this festival, his suggestion about Turkey should either undertake or provide a zero interest loan for Greece’s 1.6 billion euro debt to the IMF (International Monetary Fund), young man’s sincere greeting ‘Ertuğrul Brother, greeting from nationalist!’ that it adds to warm which Ertuğrul Kürkçü brings from Izmir, and Thessaloniki’s fine weather. This historical anecdote is etched in my memory which I have not been imagined earlier, and we start to our interview.
YOU SUGGESTED THAT TURKEY SHOULD EITHER UNDERTAKE OR PROVIDE A ZERO INTEREST LOAN FOR GREECE’S 1.6 BILLION EURO DEBT. WHAT WAS YOUR PURPOSE WITH THIS SUGGESTION?
First of all, we are neighbours, and neighbourhood is necessary in difficult time. It does not become clear too much to have neighbour or have not neighbour in good time, but Greece made an attack inestimably forward. Greece moves away from the established system which tooks a mortgage Greece’s future, Greece chose a democratic government which opens to left wing, and socialism, and when we see that Greece is in demand to drawn, we should not watch it, of course. In general, our policy making style does not come down the earth. We should do something more difficult than to say, ‘Greece, You do not pay your debt. Let’s not recharge your debt!’. Of course, we can not do it alone as an opposition party, then I thought to push forward the government. At the same time, I know that the government could not want to discharge Greece’s debt, and this suggestion was not easy. Interstate relations do not work like this style, but someone should suggest it. Turkey gave money almost 1.6 billion euro as a donation in 2014. It means Turkey has this kind of fund, and Turkey can use this fund. At least I have looked for a political solution for Greece. It could become a reality theoretically, it was too late as a technically. On the other hand, someone should have said as a last scream. In fact, this suggestion had different impressions in Turkey. All the more amazing, the government did not ignore it categorically, but Turkish government said that Greece had not been this kind of application. The fascist political parties screamed, ‘Who do you give our Money to Greece?!’. Unfortunately, informal left wing did not understand this calling’s political mean, and they prefered theoretical argument. Now, I am hearing from you that Greece thinks positively about this suggestion. At least, in my opinion solidarity emotion will have a response in this manner. Now, nice to hear it has a this kind of response. Of course, it was possible that more sophisticated suggestions, and it always suggests. For example, military spendings can die away mutually. Turkey can give a zero interest loan - interest free loan, Turkey does not put a term for this, and Greece will pay this one day. Debt – credit relationship between real friends have not resemblance to pawnshop. Tsipras shares Ministry Defense with a nationalist partner, although his comment ‘Aegean Sea belongs to fishes’ about who has Aegean Sea, it is a very important and positive comment. It showed us that Turkey will figure out problem of Aegean Sea with an emotional manner. This circumstance needed this kind of manner , also our political accepted my manner. Greece has an enormous crisis of debt, but real friendship is not for a day. If they need help again, we will be ready for collaboration. In my opinion we should improve sustainable solutions, and relations instead of this suggestion. I want to do it through my visits.
HOW THIS COULD HELP THE RELATIONS TO COUNTRIES?
We do not manage the country, so relations between political parties are very important for us. Our friend, real friend political party manage Greece, I guess it will be continue after new election. We want to make strong & sustainable relations between Greece – Syriza’s elements, Syriza government, and our people. We should start to contact seriously, and officially. Especially, I want to remind that our political party manage more than hundred municipialities in an important area where lives too many Kurdish people. Most of these municipalities are very strong metropolitan municipalities as Diyarbakır, Van, Mardin. We want to contact with equivalent municipalities in Greece, so we should make an effort for this purpose. At the same time, they can not become reality without any plan, we need to regain consciousness with first Turkish general elections. The first was held on 7 June 2015, while the second was called for 1 November 2015 since the first resulted in a hung parliament. Therefore, we could not take concrete steps. I think, we have too many reasons for making contact with our municipalities, several municipalities in Greece, Syriza, HDP, Greece government’s institutions, trade unions, Greek & Turkish youth – civil society movement – women’s movement. We should start to plan these connections. We should confess to we wave for our hands between costs of Aegean Sea.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND GREECE?
This question is very important, it has a survival value. Turkish government and Greece government collaborate about watching how these immigrants drown in Aegean Sea. It is a disgraceful circumstance.Turkey wants out of this responsibility, and watches the makeshift boats sailing in the Aegean Sea. Greek coast guard ships sink these boats, and people die to live. It is a terrible situation. Unfortunately, Syrian War is in this migration’s source, and we will argue for Greenwave Festival’s panel about immigrants. Syria is an alone country today and we can say, ‘Syria is disappearing, falling to pieces’. The most beautiful cities in the Middle East, Damascus and Aleppo became ruined. Therefore, this area has not a future for Syria public. On the other hand, they have a future humanly, and they can claim their rights at somewhere else. Unfortunately, Turkey does not intitle refugee status to these refugees. It means Turkey does not intitle refugee status which has been recognizing by United Nations. Turkey does not give accommodation address, Turkey gives guest status to the refugees which it has not been taking a part of international ragulations, these people do not make a contact with someone, and they try to live in Turkey. Their life is too difficult. The camping sites look like prison camps. The most beautiful camping site even looks like a prison camp, because people are living under control. Turkey become captivity when they run away from the camping sites. They have not work permit, residence permit, passport. These people are cursed in our world. They want to go to Europe, because they can not live in Turkey. Greece is their first stop. Unfortunately, Turkey and Greece have an implied agreement. Although Greece’s left wing has strength, Greece has same manner with Turkey. Turkey is a multicultural country, and a part of Syrian public live in Turkey. Kurdish people of Turkey help to Syrian Kurdish people for their coming to Turkey, some Turkish instutions put up a fight for Syrian people, they have non-governmental organisation in Izmir, and they are in solidarity in different parts of Turkey. Syrian people can get along together in mosques through Muslim’s solidarity, but this is not a livable life. They do not freze in some parts of Turkey, but living is not possible in summer. I prefer to say that it is an enormous humanitarian tragedy rather than depicting of this circumstance. People realized this enormous humanitarian tragedy through the boy’s tragedy who drowned off the coastal town of Bodrum in Turkey, so sensitiveness of Europe wide showed up. Syrian people want to go to different country where it promises food, accommodation, and work. On the other hand, they need regulation about it. In my opinion, refugee solidarity networks are too important, they need incentive policies. We try to encourage them as a political party, but it is not enough. 1.9 million Syrian people live in Turkey. It means constriction at labor market, and a serious competition. Therefore, people think, they steal their job opportunities. First of all, international humanitarian aid is too important, they need to find a place where provides hot meal. Also they need to have equal citizen rights where they live. Refugee Law is not enough for this problem, because the count is very big. At the same time, we have to focus on cultural and religious issues. They have another important problem about their religion in countries where have a Christian majority. Even if this circumstance can seem in countries where recognize themselves as secular. All of these reasons show us, refugees solidarity networks are too important. Migration is in life to stay like poverty. We have to put up a fight for oppressed people, labours, and people who have struggle for freedom. We have a very big burden, but we should bite on the bullet valorously.
ARE THERE SEVERAL FESTIVALS IN TURKEY?
Actually Turkey is one of the heaven of festivals (He is smiling), also has a lot of festivals in summer. Even if there are not thematic festivals that can help to the cities to realize themselves, Turkey is a very important place for festivals. For example, when I was child there was no festival notion. Last thirty years this notion has become popular. The festivals that occur according to feature of cities purpose to arouse national interest. I have been coming to Greece has been established ÖDP (Freedom & Solidarity Party) since. Before becoming deputy I have been coming to Greece, because I have been working as journalist. Last June I have attended to the arguments at Resistance Festival 2015 in Athens. The participants stick in the mind who they attend to these kind of festivals. The participants do not only stick in the mind, but also their opinions stick in the mind. These kind of events are very important for making new contacts. People want to make new contacts and have a collaboration through these festivals. I am attending this festival willingly in order to find common ground between our political parties. On the other hand, I think that Greece interests of Turkish internal affairs more than Turkish interest of Greece’s internal affairs. In Greece, everybody knows name of leader main opposition party. If you ask to Turkish people, they do not know anything except Tsipras. We have efficient arguments in Greece through this conditions. Turkey and Greece have had enormous migrations, this is the one of the similarities between Turkey and Greece. The Muslims who are living in Greece and speaking Turkish are coming to Turkey because of their education, etc, the Greeks who have lived in Turkey and can speak turkish has come back to Greece and they come to turkey often as well. In 2001, the first time when I came to Greece, Alexandroupoli, I said that, ‘This place is a different version of Turkey where women can go outside at nights. Beetwen us there are differencies as much as similiraties but for sure we have cultural points that we can understand each other. Therefore, always experiences are too important for us in Greece. When we compare the left wing of Greece with the left wing of Turkey, we can see that left wing of Greece is stronger than left wing of Turkey, because of the left wing of Greece background. We can learn too many things for socialising of Turkish left wing from Greece. The left wing in Greece, it has a historical belonging through internal war. In second world war, there was a community that communists were leader. That is why we always respect to left view of Greece. The antifascist resistence to cunta in interior war is very important for us. In 1999 the Greece was interested in us earhquake in Turkey and these reactions are unforgettable. Therefore Greece has an important position for us. Actually this situation is related in intruder policy of Ottoman Empire a little. As you know the empires fall down sooner or later and leave a legacy, their relationshıp of different nations that are related to each other. Actually we are trying to take advantage of this legacy. Recently everything is easier because be abolished travel handicap between Greece and Turkey but both of us have to continue like that to improve our relationship otherwise the relationships between us can get worse. Of course it has a mening, but you know we can do better.
TO HAVE FESTİVAL LİKE GREENWAVE IS POSSIBLE IN TURKEY?
In my opinion Greenwave is a social struggle way that consist of ecological existence and social existence. I think this kind of struggle is everywhere all over the world because it is necassary nowadays. For example, women put up a fight for the project of Blacksea tablelands turn out highway that it is a greenwave movement. Maybe these women do not know greenwave movement’s name, and it is a very important greenwave act. I think that the people who protect agriculture lands in Marmara , Aegean region, take a stand against HES (Hidro electric santral) , forest fires get involved in Greenwave movement. Greenwave and Redwave need a correspondence all over the world. People should take a stand against capitalism all over the world, and this struggle needs to ecological approach. As it is seen through my samples, people act spontaneously. These kind of acts need a plan for sustainability. People should struggle for it. Of course, it will be cause good results.
HOW WILL YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THIS FESTIVAL?
I am invited to this festival for immigrants panel. We will talk about immigrants’ struggle for existence who try go to from Syria to Europe. Also I will shopping from the stands for festival (He is smiling).
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS NOW ON AND ARE THERE ANY GOALS YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE THE NEXT PERIOD?
We have a short time goal now, but this goal is a milestone for a big goal. We have new general election of November 2015. Our voter list was announced yesterday, I am candidate from Izmir again, but new general election means Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has sultanate and caliphate, or not. We want to be more successful at new election. We want to block all passageways to him. If we have a success ( I am sure about our success). Accordingly, we should establish Turkey again. Old Turkey can not carry Turkish society. I mean old established order, old values, old political system, old Turkey can not carry new dynamic generation. It bores people. It means an unliveable world for people. Therefore establishing a new system is not a far distance goal. If we can not do it urgently, we will have troubles. We have to aim about finishing the Kurdish War, obtaining peace again as from new general election. This aim is urgent like new general election. A young man said to me beginning of the interview, ‘Ertuğrul Brother, greetings from a nationalist!’ who passed from this park area, It was great pleasure. If we are at this point today, peace of solution grows and becomes mature morally. Therefore, I can leave from here optimistically.
We finish our interview which made for learning Ertuğrul Kürkçü’s valuable opinions axis of peace, Greenwave, Turkey-Greece relations.
THANKS
Interviewer: Yeşim Bayrak
