ANKARA
The vice chairman of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has ruled out the possibility of forming a coalition with pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).
"Let it be known that the MHP do not get in the same bag with the snakes," said MP Semih Yalcin in a statement released on Thursday. "They (HDP) have our soldiers', our policemen's, our civilians' and mostly Kurdish people's blood on their hands."
Yalcin also slammed HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtas's remarks who said, regarding the MHP: "Siding with HDP will only give honor to you [MHP]."
The MHP vice chairman retorted: "Until yesterday, they [HDP] were ruining state property and setting the streets on fire with the excuse of seeking democratic rights."
Demirtas said in a speech Wednesday that the HDP was "not an armed organization."
"Everybody knows that they will not lay down arms unless the Kurdistan Workers' Party [PKK] wants them to do so," said MP Semih Yalcin.
Decades of conflict between the PKK and the Turkish security forces have led to the deaths of some 40,000 people. Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union list the PKK as a terrorist organization.
The AK Party won its fourth consecutive general election Sunday, securing the largest number of votes to claim 258 seats, or 41 percent votes, in the parliament, 18 short of a simple majority, according to the unofficial results.
The CHP won 132 seats with 24.96 percent, while the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) claimed 80 seats with 16.29 percent votes.
The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) passed the 10 percent threshold with 13.12 percent votes to take 80 seats -- marking the first time it will enter the parliament as a party.
The turnout was 86.64 percent. Although the initial count has been completed, the figures still need to be verified by the Supreme Election Council, which is due to get completed by June 19.
Once the final results are announced, the deputies of the 25th Grand National Assembly will be sworn in within five days. The constitutional deadline to form a new government will expire around August 18.
Peace process
Demirtas called the dialogue between the Turkish government and Kurdish militants the most important issue for the future of the country and said it should continue rapidly.
The process began in early 2012 in an effort to end the armed conflict with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
"Drawing the country into discussions of an early election will not be useful for anyone," the Kurdish leader also said. "We see the benefits of a coalition government and efforts to form a coalition will be among the political parties, not under the roof of the presidency."
