HDP MP addresses four ministers in parliamentary question: ‘Why are you not resigning?’

HDP MP Garo Paylan has called on Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum, Transportation Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu and Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez to resign as criticism mounts of the government’s response to the deadly earthquakes of Feb. 6.

Wednesday February 22 2023 10:11 pm

This collage photo shows Minister Soylu (upper left), Minister Kurum (upper right), Minister Dönmez (lower left), Minister Karaismailoğlu (lower right).

Duvar English

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker Garo Paylan, representing the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, has submitted a parliamentary question addressing Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum, Transportation Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu and Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez.

In his question, Paylan asked, “Why are you not resigning?” Paylan said that Soylu should take responsibility for the late and inadequate response of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) to the earthquake zone, Minister Kurum for poorly built structures, Minister Karaismailoğlu for the collapsed communication system in the post-quake period and Minister Dönmez for lack of electricity in the earthquake zone.

The Turkish government faces growing criticism over its failure to take timely action in the face of two earthquakes that hit southeastern Turkey on Feb. 6, killing over 40,000.

The lateness of the response dramatically reduced search-rescue operations to find survivors under the freezing rubble. An estimated one million Turkish people have been left homeless and fending for themselves.