What the papers say
SOCIAL Democratic Party (TDP) leader Cemal Özyiğit came in for criticism from YENİDÜZEN editor Cenk Mutluyakalı in a column about the minister’s appointment of leading trade unionist Adnan Eraslan as a director at his National Education and Culture Ministry.
Writing on Thursday, Mr Mutluyakalı described the former secondary school teachers’ union head as having been one to “kick open the doors of the Finance Ministry” or “forever on vigil at the doors of the Education Ministry”.
“I used to write that this trade union mentality would not be of any use to the country and he used to get infuriated,” he recalled.
“Trade union populism has always been in a race with political populism, and it is always the future that loses in this race.”
While all politicians and trade unionists were not like that, this mentality persisted in both sectors — ones in which the public had “least confidence”, the writer said, adding: “The duty of both is to transform society, but both have been advocating partisanship and hyprocrisy.”
Mr Mutluyakalı said: “During the election campaign, TDP under the leadership of Cemal Özyiğit was the party issuing the most idealistic statements, saying, ‘We have not been tried.’”
He continued: “Let’s say Adnan Eraslan is the wisest, most experienced person to guide education and that is why he was appointed a director. But he will retire within a year.
“If he really is such a patriot, he doesn’t need this office — he can share his experience of so many years without [it].
“He won’t be a ‘müşavir’ [adviser], they say. Yes, but what about the increase he will get in his retirement bonus and pension? The law says these are worked out on the ‘wage over the last X years’ service’.”
The writer concluded: “This fight over the spoils is the greatest weakness of governments; the rush of, ‘Our party has come to power, let us create a place for ourselves.’ . . .
“I like Cemal Özyiğit a lot, and that is why my disappointment is so huge.
“Was this necessary? Was an individual’s greed, dream and ego more important than the morale of society and the values of a political movement?”