Trade Minister Ömer Bolat goes shopping: Market bag overflows

Trade Minister Ömer Bolat went shopping at various shops in Ankara in response to boycott calls made following the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Describing April 2 as a "historic day for the Turkish economy," Minister Bolat called on citizens to "do tomorrow's shopping today."

Reacting to the group calling for the boycott, Bolat addressed those who define themselves as "opposition" by calling them a "fringe minority." Bolat, who visited tradesmen in Ankara's Keçiören district, went shopping after having breakfast at a pastry shop.

In the photos he shared on his social media account, it was shown that he made a cash payment of 600 TL in addition to products such as simit, chocolate milk, fruit juices, and pastries.

Another of Bolat's shopping stops was a grocery store. Here, he was seen putting products such as tahini halva, kashar cheese, rice, pasta, tea, tomato paste, and ground meat into his basket. The Minister later went to a bakery, chatted with the tradesmen, and bought products such as poğaça and açma.

Minister Bolat also made statements regarding those calling for a boycott. Stating that CHP Chairman Özgür Özel and İmamoğlu also supported the boycott, Bolat said:

"Some are trying to stop the Turkish economy, but we have grown the Turkish economy 6.5 times."

"Let them raise the figures, let them show that trade is growing, and let us grow Turkey's economy and workforce."

Bolat also called on tradesmen and employers, asking them not to postpone their own consumption. By saying "do tomorrow's shopping today," he drew attention to the need for Turkey's economy to grow.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel and İmamoğlu had also supported the boycott call in question. Stating that 301 university students were arrested for participating in the protests, Özel had said, "I invite everyone to use their power derived from consumption by participating in this boycott. The nation is the true owner of the state. A handful of putschists who pit the state against the nation will lose, the nation will win."

İmamoğlu had also recorded the following:

"For many years, they have surrendered to a handful of ambitious people of the oppressive and anti-democratic government. They have become prone to arbitrary impositions and spreading hopelessness and fear to society.

Some did this willingly, some out of fear. Now the time has changed. We will not expect different results by doing the same things. It is time for the media and the business world to make a choice; they will either continue on their way under the guidance of one person and see the harsh effects of the boycott, or they will align with the nation like us.

I expect a strong reaction from all our citizens, and I trust the common sense and resilience of our nation.”