CHP lawmaker’s remarks on military over privatization of factory stirs debate

Comments by Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker Ali Mahir Başarır's on the Turkish army, calling it to have been sold and criticizing the government over the privatization of a national tank factory, have stirred a debate with the government official condemning lawmaker's remarks.

"We are at such a point that the state's army was sold to Qatar for the first time in the history of the Republic. It is said that it was sold for 20 million dollars, it was sold for 50 million dollars," Başarır said on broadcaster HaberTürk's television program on Nov. 28, elaborating on the transfer of the right to operate Turkey's national tank factory to the BMC Turkish-Qatari venture for 25 years.

Drawing the reaction of the government officials, Başarır later tweeted that his remarks were misunderstood.

On Nov. 29, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said they would ask for an account of the CHP lawmaker's statement.

"We want everyone to know that the account of this will be asked to the end within the framework of the law and that we will be a close follower of the issue," Akar told reporters.

The minister said he condemned "this non-national language, which has insulted the heroic" Turkish Armed Forces.

Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın also said they "reject this ugly language and strongly condemn it."

"Those who took power in the past by taking the military tutelage behind them are speaking against the Turkish Army, which is in the service of the nation today," he stated.

"I curse those who insult our honorable army. Our army is not a tutelage center that somebody can call on duty whenever they want to suppress politics," Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun tweeted.

The CHP executives "target"...