The opening ceremony of the Turgut Özal Museum was held at the Inönü University Turgut Özal Medical Center with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek, Deputy Governor of Malatya Şükrü Özcan, Governor of Sivas Ali Kolat, Mayor Ahmet Çakır, AKP Malatya Parliament Representatives Mücahit Fındıklı, Öznur Çalık and İhsan Koca, the Rector of Inönü University Prof. Dr. Cemil Çelik, Turgut Özal's wife Semra Özal, Ahmet Özal's daughter Mene Özal, businessman Zeynel Abidin Erdem, businessmen who are members of the Malatya Education Foundation in Istanbul, representatives of non-governmental organizations and professional organisations, prominent statesmen who served during Özal's term and Inönü University. Commemorating the 17th anniversary of the 8th Turkish President fellow townsman Turgut Özal, the opening ceremony of Turgut Özal’s statue commissioned by Inönü University and placed next to the Turgut Özal museum was also organised.
Semra Özal addressed the members of the media, saying that she was touched by the fact that her late husband was honoured with a museum and a statue and conveyed her thanks to all who worked to make it happen.
Former Police Commissioner and former Governor of Malatya Saffet Arıkan Bedük talked about his shared memories with Turgut Özal and said that he was a rare statesman who couldn’t be replaced. Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Çiçek, who delivered a speech at Inönü University’s Turgut Özal Convention and Cultural Center, told the guests about his experiences during Özal's term and "If the late Mr. Özal’s opinions had been heard, today we wouldn’t be witnessing the problems in Iraq" he said, emphasizing that Özal was a very talented and foreseeing person and statesman.
"When the late Mr. Özal was alive there have been irresponsible politicians who criticized him" said Cemil Çiçek.
"When the political party ANAP was being established, they said he cooked a tasteless dessert. We defended ourselves by saying it was the consistence of the dessert that counted".
"We, some of the party members, weren't able to understand Özal's plans for Nothern Iraq. If today there is bloodshed and tears in Iraq, part of it is because of the leaders of the opposition of the period" said Çiçek. "If we had been able to grasp the purpose of Özal's plans, and not only us but also father Bush, today the Middle East wouldn't have gone through so much bloodshed and tears. We weren’t able to understand him at the time. But it’s not too late, it’s never too late to compensate”.