“Autocracy has collapsed” – Garo Paylan on Istanbul election

12:12,

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS. Ethnic Armenian Member of Parliament of Turkey Garo Paylan has called upon the citizens of Istanbul to “build democracy on the collapsed autocracy”.

Paylan, representing Istanbul at Parliament from the HDP, made the remarks after poll results showed that politician Ekrem Imamoglu from the Turkish opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) won the mayoral election in Istanbul.

“What mattered most in this election was that the autocracy collapsed,” Paylan told Bianet.

“Now, all of us together must hand in hand fight for democracy. We must leave aside inter-party problems, being Kurd, Turk or Armenian, and once again build democracy upon the collapse of autocracy for all citizens of Turkey,” Paylan said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS