Peregraf
Sırrı Sakık, a Member of Parliament from the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), raised the Kurdistan flag in the Turkish Parliament in response to remarks made by Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş, who had previously referred to the flag as "trash."
Sakık, visibly impassioned, defended the flag, stating that it represents the Kurdistan Region in Iraqi Kurdistan. He highlighted the inconsistency of the criticism, pointing out that when senior officials from the Kurdistan Region visit Turkey, the Kurdistan flag is displayed alongside the Turkish flag at Ankara's Esenboğa Airport.
"Some people call this flag trash, but it is an emblem of the Kurdistan Region and deserves respect," Sakık declared. "The real problem is your mind, your racism, and hostility towards the Kurds."
The move immediately sparked backlash. Yüksel Selçuk Türkoğlu, a Member of Parliament from the nationalist İYİ Party, strongly condemned both Sakık's action and the broader peace process aimed at resolving Turkey's Kurdish issue.
"Barzani, after Iraq, is responsible for establishing the second separatist entity in Turkey. The real ignorance is to claim the unity of Turkish territory and not consider Barzani as a threat," said Türkoğlu.
Türkoğlu further escalated tensions by claiming, "This so-called entity was established by occupying Kirkuk, Erbil, and Turkmen areas, and by demolishing the Turkmen identity office and their cadastral office."
The heated exchange led to a dramatic escalation in Parliament. Türkoğlu criticized the ongoing peace talks, calling the process "dishonest," which provoked an immediate reaction from DEM Party MPs.
Gülistan Kılıç Koçğıt, deputy leader of the DEM faction, countered by condemning nationalist rhetoric. "Some people want to live on blood, tears, and suffering. Some people want the Kurdish problem to continue forever," she stated.