CHP's Çelik speaks from Arnavutköy regarding 'bridge protest': 3 citizens detained

Despite the Istanbul Governor's Office's decision to ban the march planned by the CHP against the privatization of the Bosphorus bridges, the Republican People's Party (CHP) is maintaining its stance on carrying out the march. Chairman Özgür Özel announced in a statement that the planned action would not be canceled.

CHP İzmir MP Murat Bakan, meanwhile, pointed to constitutional rights regarding the march ban. In a statement on the matter, Bakan said, "I wonder whose rights the Governor's Office is protecting." Bakan expressed his reaction with the words, "As a political party, our CHP Istanbul Provincial Presidency is going to hold an action against the privatization of the bridges. Whose rights is the Governor's Office protecting? Is it protecting the rights of the companies that will acquire them through that privatization, or is it protecting the government's discretion despite the opposition?"

Bakan further stated, "The Governor's Office's justifications are justifications given according to the political party. We cannot hold a Palestine protest. But when Bilal Erdoğan or TÜGVA wants to do it, they can. What the police should do is ensure the safety of the people there. We do not pose a threat. The police are there to ensure the safety of people who are taking action and protesting peacefully. However, they are choosing to ban actions that the government will not like."

It was stated that CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik also announced in a similar manner that the march would take place with determination.

TIME SET

The sale of the bridges will be protested during the march, which will start from Ortaköy and continue to Arnavutköy. It was noted that this step was taken despite statements made by the Istanbul Governor's Office saying that the area was not suitable for a march.

The party leadership and Chairman Özgür Özel announced that the march would begin at 17:00 as planned and that they would voice their objections to the privatization policy, primarily the sale of the bridges, to the people of Istanbul. Özel gave a message of determination, saying, "Against this silence, our Istanbul Provincial Presidency will hold a march between Arnavutköy and Ortaköy today. What will they protest? The sale of the bridge. The Istanbul Governor's Office is not giving permission, may God be pleased with him. May God be pleased with the Istanbul Governor. If he had given permission, 100 people, 1,000 people, 10,000 people would have heard; God willing, tens of millions will hear this evening. At 17:00, we will walk between the two bridges. At 17:00, we will explain that the two Bosphorus Bridges and seven highways will be sold for 3.5 billion dollars. Their annual return is 600 million dollars."

POLICE SET UP BARRICADES

Before the "Bridges belong to the people, they cannot be sold" march, which the CHP held despite the Governor's Office not granting permission, all streets in Ortaköy were closed and heavy security measures were taken.

CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik began his press statement in the face of a heavy police blockade.

Özgür Çelik announced the massive revenue of the two bridges and seven highways that the AKP is preparing to privatize:

“The 25-year profit is 15 billion dollars... Why does the AKP want to privatize the geese that lay golden eggs?”

From Özgür Çelik to the police:

"Is the Galata Bridge a place where a meeting or march can be held according to the text published by the Governor's Office?

It was opened to Bilal Erdoğan. Why did you close the Galata Bridge to me, the same team?

There is a double standard here. What you are doing is unconstitutional.

It is legal for him, but forbidden for me.

Is there any security bureaucracy that could stop it if any political official from the AK Party said they would hold a march from here to there?

I am the child of a civil servant. They are constantly pitting me against the state's police."

ÖZGÜR ÇELİK: WE ARE MOVING TO ARNAVUTKÖY

After leaving the police blockade, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik shared on his social media account, saying, "We are moving to Arnavutköy."

Çelik's post on his X account is as follows:

"We are moving to Beşiktaş Arnavutköy.

We will hold our press statement.

Bridges belong to the people, they cannot be sold!"

'THEY ARE TRYING TO SELL NATIONAL RESOURCES TO MAKE ELECTION INVESTMENTS, WE WILL NOT ALLOW THIS!'

Özgür Çelik said the following in his press statement in Arnavutköy:

"We wanted to come to Arnavutköy by walking with our request to hold a press statement at the foot of the second bridge as well; currently, the second bridge is behind us, we are in Arnavutköy.

Our exercise of our constitutional right was blocked. Article 34 of the Constitution is very clear and explicit; political parties and our citizens can hold press statements without prior permission.

A large part of our friends came here by walking on land, and some by sea. We would like to underline a few points here, near the second bridge in Ortaköy.

We are facing a government that has been selling the homeland parcel by parcel for 24 years. They sold the monopoly, they alienated the farmers of Adıyaman, Samsun, and Bitlis from their land, they made 400 thousand families miserable. Let's remember Türk Telekom; they sold Türk Telekom to a foreign company. They even collected the copper cables on the street and left. Now the burden of Türk Telekom has remained on the shoulders of the nation.

The Sazlıdere Dam meets the water needs of 700 thousand people in Istanbul. They opened its surroundings to zoning, and currently, the Sazlıdere Dam has become unusable.

They are in an effort to hand over our two bridges in Istanbul, the July 15 and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridges, to companies and cronies for 25 years under the name of privatization with a devious plan. Our Chairman, Mr. Özgür Özel, voiced this issue first at the rally in Istanbul and then on the parliamentary floor.

After our chairman voiced this issue, the AK Party's group deputy chair in the IMM assembly said openly; Yes, we will privatize these bridges, we will implement this practice despite you.

As the Republican People's Party, we are trying to protect our country's national assets. The AK Party's group deputy chair in Istanbul says we will carry out this practice despite you, because this is our party policy.

From here, we address this mentality that considers selling the homeland parcel by parcel a skill. Whose property are you selling to whom? These bridges were built with the taxes of our ancestors, our grandparents. Currently, the bridges have no debt, and these bridges have an annual revenue of 112 million dollars. The revenue these bridges generate with the highways in 25 years contributes 15 billion dollars to the Turkish economy.

They will give the usage rights of the bridges for 25 years. The company that has the right to use these bridges will pay 20 percent from its own resources and will be able to borrow 80 percent as a loan from financial institutions abroad, from foreign countries. In other words, they will again indebt Turkey to foreign countries. If there is a dispute, British courts will be involved.

Let's say the government changes in Turkey; if they want to go the way of nationalizing the places they sold, they will have to deal with British courts. The grandchildren of our grandparents and parents who paid for these bridges will be in debt.

They want to sell our tomorrow to save today. They are trying to sell this country's national resources to make election investments. We will not allow this, we will not let these bridges be sold!"

3 DETENTIONS

It was learned that 3 citizens were detained during the CHP's action.

News Source: 12punto