site.btaErdogan Says Critical Threshold in PKK Disarmament Process Has Been Reached

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a critical threshold has been overcome in the “Terror-Free Turkiye” plan linked to the disarmament of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara designates as a terrorist organization. He rejected criticism claiming there has been no progress, speaking during a weekly meeting of the parliamentary group of the ruling Justice and Development Party.

Erdogan said that efforts to eliminate terrorism are a key driver of Turkiye’s economic revival. He stressed that resolving the issue, estimated to have cost the country over USD 2 trillion, would further accelerate development. Despite what he described as both covert and overt attempts to sabotage the process, Turkiye has managed over the past 18 months to pass several critical milestones peacefully.

He added that with the approval of a report by a parliamentary committee in the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye, tasked with drafting legislative proposals related to the PKK’s disarmament, the process has reached a crossroads requiring particularly careful action. Erdogan voiced hope that, guided by the committee’s findings and with political support, this stage would also be completed without incident. He dismissed what he called unfounded speculation, saying pessimistic narratives about the process are based on misconceptions rather than facts.

His remarks came after statements on Tuesday by representatives of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), who criticized the government’s handling of the reconciliation process with the PKK, highlighting growing tensions between Ankara and Kurdish militants over measures to end the long-running conflict.

DEM Co-Chair Tulay Hatimogullari told party MPs that the government is failing to maintain the momentum of the peace process and warned that delays risk derailing the initiative.

At the meeting with lawmakers from the Justice and Development Party, Erdogan maintained that the overall atmosphere surrounding the process remains constructive.