A video published by Turkish daily Güneş on Thursday showed main opposition the Republican People's Party (CHP)'s Edirne mayor Recep Gürkan allegedly cheering upon hearing the news that the July 15, 2016 coup was underway, creating a furor on social media.
In the video, Gürkan is seen on the stage of a bar in the city which is located on Turkey's northwestern border with Greece and Bulgaria.
"We experienced such a night 36 years ago," Gürkan is seen saying in the video, pointing to the brutal 1980 coup led by Kenan Evren.
"We are now going through the same night again. At that time, we didn't know about it. But now we do. Cheers!" he is seen celebrating.
After the video emerged, a criminal complaint was filed against him for praising the coup attempt.
Not denying his remarks, Gürkan said "no one can call himself a traitor."
The Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen orchestrated the later defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.
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