Garo Paylan, a deputy from the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), on Monday criticized Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, saying it is a disgrace to keep a public restroom built in an Armenian cemetery in Turkey’s eastern province of Van.
Paylan said during the time in office of the previous minister a public restroom was built in the historic cemetery and despite his subsequent instructions, the toilet was not removed from the area, calling it disrespectful.
According to Paylan, the current minister, Soylu, is the biggest threat to Turkey’s image abroad due to his policies such as the mistreatment of protesters including the mothers of people who disappeared while in police custody in the 1990s and workers who complained about poor working conditions during the recent construction of a third airport in İstanbul.
Paylan tweeted his remarks made during a debate in parliament on Monday over the Ministry of Tourism and Culture budget.