Breaking News: Ekrem İmamoğlu responds to Erdoğan's compensation lawsuit

The Republican People's Party (CHP) TBMM Group Work and Evaluation Meeting, held in Istanbul, has begun. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu delivered the first speech at the meeting.

Reacting to the arrest of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer and the appointment of a trustee in his place, İmamoğlu said, "We are facing a government that acts with the psychology of having acquired the position it manages and the office it holds not as a trust from the nation, but as if it were its own property. Let us realize this: the reality underlying the moves made today is that the government is also at its weakest moment. This weakness makes them even more reckless."

Speaking about the 1 million TL compensation lawsuit filed by AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, İmamoğlu stated, "This lawsuit has also gone down in history as a document of our righteousness."

İmamoğlu also reacted sharply to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who called Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer a 'terrorist'.

"I would like to remind you. Let me remind you how you showered Fethullah Gülen with praise 10 years ago," said İmamoğlu, asking, "You are the one who said 10 years ago in Turkey, 'The Turkish Olympiads deserve a 'Mashallah' for the point they have reached.' You are the one who thanked those who organized the event. You are the one who provided sponsorship. You are the one who was arm-in-arm with the terrorist organization 10 years ago. What should we say now? Should we turn around and repeat your own words back to you?"

Highlights from İmamoğlu's statements are as follows:

Wherever I go, I am faced with a picture of collapse in every field, from the economy to health, from justice to education. While everyone expresses their problems, they also know the cause of their problems very well. They clearly state who and which practices have brought our country to such a process. As CHP members, they remind us of our responsibility.

I am talking about 86 million people who are being dragged into an increasingly severe depression every day. Our people are once again waiting for us to show a will like the founding will that inspires society, to stand up again, and to realize an environment where a reputable state loves and embraces every individual as an equal individual.

"THEY SEE THE CHP AS THE ONLY POWER THAT CAN CHANGE THIS DEVASTATING PICTURE"

Wherever I go, the nation is calling out to us, expecting us to carry the responsibility I mentioned. I want you to feel that our nation, which showed the consciousness to stand against this government in the local elections despite being surrounded by injustices and made us the first party, is calling us. They see the CHP as the only power that can change this devastating picture. CHP members, who have been the symbol of civilization, development, and modernity in Turkey since the day it was founded... There is no other environment that will carry the consciousness to the highest level, taking us out of the economic depression, justice crisis, and democracy crisis that our people have been dragged into.

What has happened in recent days has once again shown that we are facing a government mentality that never wants to let go of the power it holds and is ready to do anything. We are facing a government that acts with the psychology of having acquired the office it manages as if it were its own property.

We are facing a mentality that acts as the title holder and owner of the area they manage. Let us remind you that this government, which does not want to let go of this power, is the cause of the dark days Turkey is in. Therefore, let us realize that the reality underlying the moves, struggles, and shameful behaviors made today is the fact that the government is also at its weakest moment.

THE COMPENSATION LAWSUIT FILED BY ERDOĞAN

Precisely for this reason, they are trying to ensure the continuation of their government by setting up different conspiracies every day. They have just made us experience a new judicial harassment. The President was angry at our rightful words, expressions, and reminders in Esenyurt Square. He immediately gave instructions to his lawyer and filed a 1 million TL compensation lawsuit against me and our Honorable Chairman.

While they were trampling on the personal rights of our Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, who has reached the age of 65 and has dedicated approximately 40 years to the world of science in Turkey, they saw the real and proven questions we asked them as an attack on their personal rights. Apparently, they were humiliated in the public eye. We have no issue with individuals or their personalities. That is, until their personalities become harmful to the country.

While they are destroying the reasons for the existence of the republic and making our nation, our country, and our state miserable and disgraceful to the world, we never hold back from saying the necessary words and asking the necessary questions at that very point. Frankly, my speech was exactly on this axis. It was even a speech text where I asked questions entirely; anyone who wants can look. It is the question, not the answer, that enlightens a person. We asked the questions, the President took offense, and the result was a compensation lawsuit. We have been enlightened once again. This lawsuit has gone down in history as a document of our righteousness.

RESPONSE TO INTERIOR MINISTER YERLIKAYA

The person who is the Interior Minister made a statement yesterday. Big words. He said, "The trustee of the city cannot be a supporter of terrorism." When I read the indictment, which contains some fabricated and fallacious sentences, I threw that indictment to the ground. I felt ashamed. The mentality that declares someone a terrorist based on a phone call from 10 years ago, that accusation frankly hits the Interior Minister who said those words yesterday like a boomerang.

* Now I would like to make a reminder here. Let me remind you how you showered Fethullah Gülen with praise 10 years ago. You are the one who said 10 years ago in Turkey, "The Turkish Olympiads deserve a 'Mashallah' for the stage they have reached." You are the one who organized the event, you are the person who is the Interior Minister. You are the one who provided sponsorship. You are the one who was arm-in-arm with the terrorist organization 10 years ago. What should we say now? Should we turn around and repeat your own words back to you? If you choose your exact sentences from that period, should we say this? Should we remind you by saying, "One cannot be one with a terrorist organization in thought and deed while appearing to be from the righteous side"? Should we say, "Can an Interior Minister not be a supporter of terrorism?" How did you like that, Mr. Interior Minister? You should first look at who is managing your ministry.

"SABAH NEWSPAPER MAKES HEADLINES HOURS IN ADVANCE"

I want to address the Interior Minister. There are people in this hall who would stand against it even if an injustice were done to you. Sabah newspaper makes headlines hours in advance saying, "A trustee has been appointed." You say, "There is no such thing, no trustee has been appointed." Hours pass, the court has not even been held yet, and unfortunately, the newspaper, not the minister, turns out to be right, and you are caught off guard, I would say, but you are not exactly like that either.

News Source: 12punto