Pervin Buldan: Calling Öcalan's 250-square-meter residence a 'villa' is misleading
DEM Party İmralı Delegation member Pervin Buldan pushed back against descriptions of the 250-square-meter house with a garden built for Abdullah Öcalan on İmralı as a "villa."
RastinewsPervin Buldan, a member of the DEM Party's İmralı Delegation, spoke for the first time about claims that a villa had been built for PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. Addressing the 250-square-meter structure with a garden, Buldan said the comparison to a villa "does not reflect reality," adding: "Describing it in bad faith as a villa, as a comfortable space, has nothing to do with reality and is a malicious assessment."
Speaking to Medyascope, Buldan said the structure was built so that Öcalan could manage the process smoothly and hold, under suitable conditions, the talks needed to sustain the ceasefire process. She continued:
"The villa comparison has nothing to do with reality. It could even be said that the new structure is practically part of the prison. Disarmament and politicization take time. Öcalan needs to be involved for that to happen. Describing it in bad faith as a villa, as a comfortable space, has nothing to do with reality and is a malicious assessment. And Mr. Öcalan still hasn't moved in, because he needs a working team there."
What happened?
Journalist Nagehan Alçı wrote that she had asked MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli about claims that a villa was being built for Abdullah Öcalan on İmralı island. Alçı said Bahçeli confirmed the claims, quoting him as saying:
"A house was built for Abdullah Öcalan on İmralı Island. It's a house with a garden in front, offering humane living conditions. That's my understanding. Abdullah Öcalan can live there in keeping with the flow of ordinary life."
Speaking to journalist Ceyhun Bozkurt, Bahçeli said the residence would be used for the meetings and messages Öcalan would deliver as part of the "Terror-Free Turkey" process, and that he should be able to meet journalists there when necessary. Former AK Party lawmaker Şamil Tayyar had earlier described the structure as a "duplex villa," claiming it had roughly 250 square meters of indoor space, a large garden, a work office, and video-call and internet infrastructure.
Bahçeli also said Öcalan had not yet moved into the residence, citing the unresolved question of his status as the reason. According to Bahçeli, Öcalan had asked for clarity on his position, saying: "In what capacity would I move into this residence? Am I a negotiator, or the leader of a terrorist organization?" Bahçeli said he found the objection "legitimate" and that his earlier proposal to designate Öcalan "Coordinator for the Politicization of the Peace Process" still stood.