IMM AKP Group Deputy Chair's 'despite you' remark: We will privatize the bridges
A debate regarding the 'privatization of bridges' took place during the February meeting of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Council.
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AKP Group Deputy Chair Faruk Gökkuş responded to the remarks of CHP Group Deputy Chair Ülkü İnanlı by saying, “Yes, we will privatize the bridges. Whatever economic system we believe in, whatever we see as being for the benefit of the homeland and the nation, we will continue to implement it despite you.”
CHP Group Deputy Chair Ülkü İnanlı reacted to the recent allegations that bridges and highways would be privatized, stating, “What is clear and obvious is that the government is trying to cover up the poor economy today by drowning the public in agendas with perception operations and using certain slanders, saying ‘look what is happening here, look at the acrobat.’ Bridges built fifty-some years ago are being privatized. Who are you hiding what from? What does it mean to sell the Bosphorus Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge while trying to lull us to sleep with these things?”
IMM AKP Group Deputy Chair's 'despite you' remark: We will privatize the bridgeshttps://t.co/6qjI4ge48u pic.twitter.com/lL0qqTuslQ
— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) February 9, 2026
“WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT”
AKP Group Deputy Chair Faruk Gökkuş replied to İnanlı’s words, saying, “Yes, we will privatize the bridges. Whatever economic system we believe in, whatever we see as being for the benefit of the homeland and the nation, we will continue to implement it despite you.”
“YOU CAN DO IT DESPITE US, BUT YOU CANNOT DO IT DESPITE THE PUBLIC”
Taking the floor again following Gökkuş’s statement, İnanlı responded with the words, “He said, ‘We will do it, this is our understanding of the economy, we will sell the bridge, we will privatize it, we will do it despite you.’ Yes, you can do it despite us, but you cannot do it despite the public. I am reminding you of this as well.”