Cemil Bayık, a senior leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has dismissed calls for the group’s dissolution, emphasizing that any such move must involve the direct participation of its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan. Bayık’s remarks come in response to demands from Devlet Bahçeli, leader of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), who has urged the PKK to disarm and disband immediately.

Bayık, who co-chairs the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council, stated that the conditions for holding a PKK congress—a proposal previously suggested by Öcalan—are not yet in place. He cited ongoing Turkish military operations, particularly drone surveillance over PKK-held areas, as making such a gathering “impossible and dangerous.”

“Everyone understands that under these circumstances, holding a congress is neither feasible nor safe,” Bayık said. “Since the Turkish state requested it and Öcalan made the call, the necessary conditions must be met. If they are ensured, the congress will convene, and decisions will be made.”

Bahçeli, a key ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and a leading advocate of Ankara’s new Kurdish policy, reiterated his demand for the PKK’s dissolution in a statement on March 16. “The PKK must convene its congress without delay and formally declare its disbandment in line with the February 27 call. The surrender of weapons must take place as soon as possible—this is not an issue that can be postponed,” he said.

In contrast, Bayık insisted that only Öcalan could oversee such a process, stressing that a legal and political framework must first be established. “Öcalan founded and shaped this movement. Only he can lead the congress, guide its decisions, and determine its direction,” Bayık emphasized. “This reality must be acknowledged by all.”

While Bayık acknowledged some “constructive” remarks on the matter, he warned that certain rhetoric could derail progress. “Some statements are sabotaging the process,” he said. “This needs to be addressed.”

The debate over the PKK’s future remains a central issue in Turkish politics, with Ankara pushing for its dissolution while the group insists that conditions must first be met. The stalemate highlights the deep-rooted complexities of Turkey’s Kurdish question and the challenges in achieving a resolution.

As tensions persist, the role of Öcalan—who has been imprisoned since 1999—remains a contentious point, with the PKK leadership adamant that his involvement is indispensable for any meaningful decision on the group’s future.