Can trials be broadcast on TV?

They say that the best information about an event comes from someone who has experienced a similar one, because those who have lived through a similar situation know all the inputs and outputs of the process best.

Now, let us come to the AKP-CHP conflict, which is taking place under the guise of a central government versus local administration clash; or rather, the AKP-opposition conflict aimed at establishing single-party dominance. We remember that when the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality was taken by Ekrem İmamoğlu, that is, when the administration passed from the AKP to the CHP, it was a major event. I remember clearly, a woman, perhaps fearing that her handouts would be cut off, approached Erdoğan and said something to the effect of “what will we do,” and the response she received was, “don’t worry, they have become a lame duck.” That was when we should have understood that those who know the functioning of municipalities very well could also know very well how to achieve their goals over time. In the recent mass operations, how did one person manage to get involved with municipalities—not just the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, but also other cities—and secure a series of tenders, do business, and earn money, while also paying bribes in accordance with the covert agreements they made? Since I am not a journalist, I cannot do it, but in my opinion, all of this person’s past transactions and who they established contact with should be carefully monitored; it should be investigated whether they only received work from the CHP-run municipalities that are targeted for collapse, or if they also approached different municipalities. Anyway, this topic is important, but since it is not my field, let us move on. Perhaps a colleague will dig into this matter, and we will learn the essence of the business. This person was also taken into custody during the arrests; or rather, they had to be taken in first to become an “honest confessor!” And the scenario we know played out. No, it didn’t play out, it was orchestrated!

Whether this was planned so skillfully from the beginning, I cannot know, but in a meeting of dozens of mayors, for some reason, the presence of a chair with a broken leg in the carefully prepared meeting at the billion-lira palace, and it happening to be the one for İmamoğlu, must surely be a huge coincidence! This image struck me as an incident that would be embarrassing for the palace! Despite everything, I truly do not want to think that such meaningless actions are triggered by a long-term program. I wish that foreign policy or economic events were also carried out as a result of such long-term thinking and planning; it would be more beneficial for the nation.

Let us come to the fees and bribe amounts for transactions made in municipalities. This issue cannot be seen as something that can be prevented in the capitalist system. The reason is that while the licensing and all other types of authorization processes of municipalities provide benefits to individuals, the fact that the fees collected are not commensurate with the benefit provided leads to the difference being filled with bribes. Because the benefit created, or more accurately, the rent, provides people with unearned income. For example, can we imagine what a simple kiosk operating license provides to an individual in an area where millions of people pass through in an important shopping district? The rough meaning of the word rent is already excessive gain provided outside of production costs or effort costs. It may be said that taxes are paid on the gain provided. Yes, but while tax is collected every year on realized gain, the bribe taken over license rent is a one-time payment. The issue here is not the justification or legitimacy of the bribe, but why it is tolerated to turn into a bribe through the gap left in between, rather than being paid to the state as a high tribute or premium. This topic is a separate area of discussion. My opinion is that in every licensing or permit process, instead of a fixed fee, a system of collecting fees based on hypothetical income increase should be adopted. In this system, the fee could even be paid in installments depending on the realization of the projected income. Thus, the public’s licensing authority could be accrued as public revenue rather than as bribes to private individuals. Can you imagine, you are building a construction in Istanbul, you were able to get an additional floor or you are building a new construction. This situation is like opening a new business. Of course, you will pay your tax, but the fee should also be at a reasonable level appropriate to your potential income.

Let us come to our subject; if this is the situation, can we claim that the AKP municipalities have nothing to do with bribes or other corruption and irregularities, but that almost all CHP-run municipalities are mired in bribery, corruption, and irregular business? I do not know; my purpose here is not to accuse without evidence, but only to try to make a prediction based on probabilities. The suggestion by the MHP leader that the judicial processes of what is happening be broadcast on TV screens seems to me like a cheap game played to protect himself against the CHP on one hand, and to put the AKP, which he constantly tries to wear down while taking refuge in its shadow, in a difficult position on the other. Could this person not know that such broadcasts are prohibited and that no recording can be taken in the courtroom? Could this person not know that the AKP, which operates in a chain of command, would not approve of the broadcasting of such prohibited games in order to prevent the exposure of the AKP’s own games? Such being the case, instead of making meaningless statements in the name of politics, what the MHP should do in the name of conscience is to emerge as a more honest politician with the view that it is not right to accuse only CHP municipalities of various irregularities and to display more honest behavior. There is also the matter of the ugly Yassıada trial scenes that are not erased from our memories. Those trials were broadcast. If Bahçeli, with this statement, is establishing a relationship of similarity between the CHP and the DP, and desires for the CHP to be sent to the dustbin of history just as the DP was, in my opinion, instead of harboring this dream, he should withdraw to his peaceful corner to let the nation be!