Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu challenges political ban threats: 'This nation will rise up'

Responding to journalist Uğur Dündar's questions on Sözcü TV, İmamoğlu made striking remarks regarding the lawsuit against him. Ekrem İmamoğlu said, "If you are going to hand down a sentence, bring it on. This nation will hand down such a sentence that... Let the Court of Appeal decide immediately, right now. Will you hand down a sentence? Go ahead. We are waiting for justice."

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu also spoke about the party congress that will begin in Sivas. Here are the highlights from İmamoğlu's statements:

"I FIND THEIR CHOICE OF SIVAS VERY VALUABLE"

I say Sivas equals the republic. Sivas, the city of the republic, is already used a lot. I always think, which nation has a struggle for independence? The person who would lead that process before the struggle for independence and his close friends were able to carry out a process of common sense, a time frame for social negotiation, and the establishment of those tables with such care.

You are doing this in an occupied country. At a time when minds were most confused, at a time when homes were being destroyed...

Today, I certainly find it very valuable that our Chairman, Mr. Özgür Özel, and all our CHP friends and fellow travelers chose Sivas for the party charter congress in such an important period, in the second century of the Republic.

I hope we initiate a process by remembering the spirit of unity and solidarity, that politics is a tool, that political parties are a service area, a place of service, and a tool for service, and by feeling that the sanctity is the flag, the state, the homeland, and the unity and solidarity of this nation.

I hope that during the charter process this weekend, we will carry that spirit of change in the most qualified way, and by feeling that this is not the day of change of the congress held on November 5, nor is it today, but that the change is actually continuing, that its beginning was the congress held in November, but that this work is continuing—I will be in Ankara on Friday morning—we will hold the charter congress together."

"A REVOLUTION ALONE WOULD BE A HEAVY BURDEN"

When asked, "Will a democratic charter that the CHP needs emerge from this congress? How much will intra-party democracy be able to function? For example, will the terms of office for deputies and mayors be determined here? Will central selection be used in determining candidates, or will the opinions of members, which is a requirement of true democracy, be included? The national struggle that started in Sivas resulted in a revolution. Will this charter amendment congress, which also started in Sivas, be able to result in a revolution in your opinion?" İmamoğlu replied:

Actually, it should be seen as an important step of the revolution. Let me make another analogy; was the revolution completed when the Republic was founded? It actually started. Or was there a revolution in Sivas in September? No, it started. Of course, the stages of the revolution continued.

Every stage of that revolution, which I describe as Atatürk's reforms, is an important contribution to the existence of the Republic of Turkey state. The main reason why the Republic of Turkey stands tall despite all interventions and all opposition is that every step taken was taken with care.

In this respect, I value every stage, but a revolution alone would be a heavy burden. This is a charter congress. It will definitely have a revolutionary spirit, it will definitely be healing, it will definitely be unifying, it will definitely be inclusive because we have to expand the ground. We have to expand the ground of the CHP.

We have to place it in an inclusive political sphere. We must know that we are not the owners of any seat, that we are trustees, that we are representatives of the nation, and at the same time representatives of the party members, that we should be people who see all skills in themselves at the same time, that we should be purified from arrogance, that we must get rid of the single-person mind of this country, the understanding of 'I decide everything' of a single person, and that a system that unfortunately dies before it is born, a system that causes great troubles for the country, and a system that causes the most uncertain economic problems in history must be removed from the head of the nation as soon as possible, and all Republican People's Party members must act knowingly and willingly.

I act with this awareness and I say; 'We may have had different reflexes in the past, we may have experienced moments when our different genetic codes got us into trouble in the past, but my dear fellow travelers, this period is a different period, please review all your attitudes and behaviors.'

I warn my fellow travelers in various meetings, saying, 'If you were paying 10 times the attention to your attitudes and behaviors before, pay a thousand times more attention from now on.'

I say, 'We have a historical mission.' Our country needs us to enter the second century of our republic at a running pace, not to lose time, to get rid of the mistakes, wrongs, and bad steps of the past century, to get rid of them, and to achieve a permanent democratic structure; I define myself that way. In that respect, this process is a part of those strong steps. We will be there with this spirit.

"IT MADE US THE FIRST PARTY AFTER 50 YEARS"

We started this work with the coding of change. I expressed my opinion on the morning of May 29, and there have been important steps taken since then; a change took place at the congress. Until November, our party had a great reckoning within itself. Then, with that reckoning, a great change took place in our chairman and some staff. We found a local election right in front of us and ran towards March 31.

When our citizens saw the codes in that change we made, the steps taken, and some innovative faces, they showed us great favor. It made us the first party after nearly 50 years, and now we are the first party. We are the party from which our nation expects the most.

In other words, our sole agenda is the country's policies, and we are a team tasked with preparing the principles for the future that the country needs. This is one of the important stages of the concept of revolution you mentioned, but it must continue.

CHP IS MARCHING TO POWER, NO ONE CAN STOP THIS

The Republican People's Party is no longer a party that will remain in the opposition. The Republican People's Party and its stakeholders, the citizens who believe in democracy, are marching towards power.

From this hour on, no one can stop this. That's why I'll say my slogan again: 'If the Republican People's Party changes, Turkey changes.' And hopefully, the Republican People's Party will change and Turkey will change too.

MEETING WITH KILIÇDAROĞLU

I am a person who has shared a common destiny with Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. We have shared a common destiny since 2010. We have had a good dialogue with Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and we always will.

Despite everything, even if they try to twist and turn the process to different places, we are two people who value each other. I value him very much and my phrase 'crown of my head' is very sincere. I know that he also values me very much.

Of course, there have been issues where we disagreed. Especially during the change process and the time period after, we had different thoughts, but this cannot spoil our relationship.

Those who have shared a common destiny in politics for 16 years, of course, talk about politics and what is happening in the CHP when they come together.

"BRING IT ON"

After Uğur Dündar's words, "Let's do some dark humor. We are thinking of bringing Arena back to the screen on SÖZCÜ Television with its old format, that is, its investigative journalism approach. We have young, idealistic, successful colleagues. They are very excited. I also made posts on my social media account. One of the answers I received is: 'The entire studio will be arrested in the second program.' We are laughing bitterly," İmamoğlu spoke as follows:

Shame on those who brought the judiciary to this state. They are filing a lawsuit against Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in this period. What are you after? The issue of making Ekrem İmamoğlu politically banned over a ridiculous, funny business called the 'fool' case. What is your problem? Who are you afraid of, what are you afraid of, what are you trying to prevent? Or the fact that a lot of innocent people are in prison...

We hear that everyone is tense. And I say, for God's sake, is it a sentence? Hand it down immediately. I am saying it from here, Mr. Uğur. This nation will hand down such a sentence that... Let the Court of Appeal decide immediately, right now. Will you hand down a sentence? Go ahead. We are waiting for justice. Why are you damaging the Republic and democracy with this nonsensical lawsuit?

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu challenges political ban threats:

Let the Court of Appeal hand down a sentence against me, this government won't live to see the day of the Supreme Court's decision

This nation will rise uphttps://t.co/h60qWtAm4p pic.twitter.com/vxKIlg3LqQ

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) September 3, 2024

By handing down a sentence, you will make the disreputable face of this country abroad even more disreputable. The economy is terrible, you will deepen the distrust you have created regarding the economy even further. Who will win?

If this court hands down a sentence and money enters the nation's pocket, if the economy improves, let's agree to the sentence. Can such a thing happen? They are subjecting us to tremendous judicial harassment. I am saying: Let the Court of Appeal decide immediately. If they are going to hand down a sentence, let them do it immediately. Do not leave the judiciary under suspicion. Make your decision as soon as possible.

All kinds of rumors are coming. Despite everything, I want to trust the judiciary. I want to trust the justice system of this country. If this isn't harassment, then what is, for God's sake? Let the Court of Appeal hand down a sentence against me, this government won't live to see the day of the Supreme Court's decision. This nation will rise up. If a mind that makes an intervention against the will of this nation through the judiciary, if the Court of Appeal makes a negative decision, this government will be gone before it sees the result of the decision in the Supreme Court.

This nation will rise up. Beyond my claim... Bring it on. Everything is clear. If you asked a thousand lawyers, not one of them would hand down a sentence for a word like 'fool.' Who was called a fool? That is clear. The expert report is clear. The moves made are clear. You are producing a lawsuit from here. It is a shame. The government that deems this worthy of itself is responsible for this business. Bring it on. Are you going to hand down a sentence? Go ahead and do it. My promise to you: This nation will rise up. This nation will not show you that time until the Supreme Court makes a decision, it will send you home. The method for that is also clear. Early elections will come."

"YOU WILL DO THE OPPOSITE OF WHATEVER ISTANBUL TAXI DRIVERS CHAMBER PRESIDENT AKSU SAYS"

We have been voicing the taxi problem since 2019, and we did not pursue the understanding of 'let's sell commercial taxi plates and pile them on the roads.' We said that we would be in search of a system.

Our proposal was rejected 15 times. It made me happy that those whose answers I could not get to the question of whether Istanbul needs taxis or not that day, are now saying that this will be beneficial.

Let's also make a satirical sentence; you will do the opposite of whatever Istanbul Taxi Drivers Chamber President Eyüp Aksu says.

He has only one concern; let the taximeters increase by 100 percent, and also issue us a plate, sell us a taxi. He has no other concern.

We had decided on this new system a long time ago. Our friends went and explained this system. At the end of the day, we made this decision with the unanimous vote of all members.

The Minister of Transport announced that they had made such a decision. I thank him. Now this process is being discussed in the parliamentary commission and a decision will come out of the parliament.

I claim that even the taxis currently searching for passengers in the field will switch to this area. We will enjoy solving this problem.

WILL THERE BE A CHP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE?

We must protect ourselves from those who try to pit us against each other. Or we must protect ourselves from the systems established by those people who try to pit us against each other.

I am sure that none of our friends will fall into the level of seeking a future for themselves in such an environment.

I am aware that we are in the middle of a very serious issue. I am saying it very clearly; Ekrem İmamoğlu will be wherever the nation wants him to be.