Speaking with Yeni YaSam newspaper, Demirtas said, "Actually, it is not us who held talks with the PKK and Ocalan, it is [Turkey President Recep] Erdogan himself. We both facilitated the meeting between the parties and offered our own solution proposals to the sides. But we were neither the addressee of Qandil (PKK headquarters in Qandil Mt. nor Imrali [the Island of Imrali where Ocalan is imprisoned]. The official interlocutor was Erdogan and the government itself."

A part of the questions and answers asked to Demirtas are as follows:

How is your time passing, are there any books you have just written or read?

"There is not much that can be done inside. I read and write a lot. Most recently, I read the novels of Erebê Şemo's Dimdim Castle and the Halicarnassus Fisherman's Aganta Burina Burinata. I have a novel I have just finished. I'm making the final fixes. Maybe it could be published until autumn."

How does 'inside' look 'outside'?

"The combination of pressures, pandemic and poverty looks really bad out there. I can feel the whole society overwhelmed.

"In this picture, great responsibility falls on the political pioneers. In particular, the opposition must instill hope and courage in society every day, every hour. They can only do this in two ways: Producing concrete solutions and resistance altogether."

There is often talks on the unity of forces that want democracy, whose name is also called a democracy alliance. In short, around which principles can be met? What political and social forces should it encompass?

In fact, there is no one who does not know the principles of universal democracy. It is possible to define the basic principles in just a few items and unite around them. I can briefly count them as follow:

1. Strong representation and democratic form of government (Strengthened Parliamentary System),

2. Independent and impartial judiciary,

3. Free elections by guaranteeing the freedom of press, organization, demonstration and expression,

4. No criteria other than merit are taken as basis in public appointments,

5. Ensuring social peace by protecting the basic principles of the Republic by drafting a democratic and civil constitution.

Even these principles come together from all political parties, democratic mass organizations, trade unions, trade associations and environmental movements that believe in democracy,

He further added that “we declare an alliance of democracy. We will both fight for these principles together and we will implement the most reasonable cooperation options in the next election. This creates new hope for the whole society. It allows for a dynamic alliance model that far exceeds existing political alliances."

"In my opinion, if the nationalist circles in the opposition will continue to persistently prevent the democracy alliance, then a third alliance under the leadership of the HDP can be declared as 'democracy alliance'. All segments that deem appropriate the principles I have tried to summarize above can also participate in this alliance."

How do you evaluate the discussions on the HDP's closure?

"Actually, it's not unexpected. It was obvious that this case would be opened with the pressure of the MHP [National Movement Party] and the support of the AKP [ruling Justice and Development Party]. It is a purely political case based on elections. If the Constitutional Court is based on the law, the HDP must be acquitted. If they are going to close the HDP because it is a partner of the peace process, they should also close the AKP together with the HDP. Because HDP delegations that went to Imrali and Qandil went under the guarantee of law no 6551, with the will and support of Erdogan and the government."

"In fact, it is not us who had talks with the PKK and Ocalan, it was Erdogan himself. We were both facilitators between the sides and offered our own suggestions to them. But we were not the addressee of either Qandil or Imrali. The official interlocutor was Erdogan and the government itself.

"Moreover, there have been state and government negotiations with Imrali and Qandil, maybe more than 10 times, except for the Oslo and Imrali solution processes. Neither HDP's involvement nor knowledge of the content of the talks are involved in any of these. In other words, HDP has been involved in only one. We do not see any of these as wrong or criminal. However, we also see the HDP is been blamed for hypocrisy, immorality and having no principles.

There is a hunger strike in prisons against the isolation imposed on PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan. What is your message to the society regarding the isolation?

"Isolation is both the cause and the result of the deadlock. Unfortunately, there is no yawning in isolation without seeking a change in the government's Kurdish policy. If we look at the current policy of the government, it is understood that the situation is getting worse."

Reporter's code: 50101