Opposition party fails to unite with nation: Turkish PM

By Halil İbrahim Baser and Sefa Mutlu

KOCAELI, Turkey

Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Wednesday, that the opposition party failed to unite the nation.

Speaking during a meeting at party headquarters in northwestern Kocaeli Province, Yildirim stated that the opposition party is preparing for the 2019 presidential elections. However, instead of uniting with Turkey, they were 'walking at the protest marches together with FETO and supporters of terrorist organizations'.

Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu organized in July a 450- kilometer (280-mile) march from Ankara to Istanbul to protest the court ruling of his fellow party lawmaker, Enis Berberoglu, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

"Those who made the 'No' campaign by any costs during the referendum campaign are now dreaming of the 2019 elections," Yildirim said and regardless of who the opposition party nominates for the presidential elections, the nation will "give them a lesson".

"The chairman and deputies of the main opposition party, who said 'controlled coup' and 'theatre' to July 15, who mocked the families of the martyrs and the veterans, be ready, this nation will teach you such a lesson that you will be not able to move," he said.

According to the government, Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Yildirim also reminded them at the meeting about the 18th anniversary of the Marmara earthquake and said that Turkey needs to be prepared for earthquakes.

The prime minister said that earthquake drills, training in schools and public organizations will continue to educate people to minimize the loss of life in future earthquakes.