ANKARA - GÜNSİAD President Şah İsmail Bedirhanoğlu, who was heard by the parliamentary commission, said he demanded the removal of the language barrier, an equal constitution and decentralisation.

 

The "National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission", which was established in the Parliament as part of the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue, continued its work by listening to representatives of associations and foundations in its 11th meeting. 

 

Şah İsmail Bedirhanoğlu, President of the Southeastern Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (GÜNSİAD), who was heard in the first session of the commission, said that all segments of the society in the region have developed a belief that the conflict and violence will end. 

 

Bedirhanoğlu stated that the unresolved Kurdish issue prevented future planning, economic development plans, democratisation steps and negatively affected the relations with the European Union and said: "Because of this issue, we have wasted an amount that costs about 2 trillion dollars, that is, an amount equal to 2 Turkey." 

 

Bedirhanoğlu stated that a legal ground should be prepared for the return of the PKK members who dissolved themselves. "The Kurdish society wants the language to be used directly in education by removing the obstacles in front of it and this is necessary. In addition to education, I would like to see a legal arrangement that paves the way for its use in political activities and in all areas of life, and I demand that legal obstacles, if any, be removed, and I demand more decentralisation." 

 

Bedirhanoğlu said that Turkey was concerned about the establishment of the Federated Kurdistan Region and saw it as a threat, but that this situation changed over time, adding that the trade volume between Turkey and the Kurdistan Region has reached 13 billion dollars over time. 

 

Bedirhanoğlu stated that AKP President Tayyip Erdoğan's words "The problems of the Iraqi and Syrian Kurds are also our problems" should be translated into politics on the field and added: "An approach that sees the problems of the Iraqi and Syrian Kurds as its own problem will strengthen Turkey." 

 

Stating that there is a need for a new constitution, Bedirhanoğlu stated that civil politics has the responsibility of making a new constitution.