Minister Kurum shows water brought from İzmir, tensions rise: 'Did we govern the country?'

A major dispute erupted during the budget deliberations for the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change at the TBMM Planning and Budget Committee. 

As the black-colored seawater that Minister Murat Kurum said he brought from İzmir increased tensions between AKP and CHP deputies, Veli Ağbaba retorted, "You have been boasting for 22 years; did we govern the country?"

During the committee meetings, Minister Kurum stated, "We brought a bottle of seawater from the Gulf of İzmir here. As is now known to all 85 million, there is an İzmir Metropolitan Municipality that does not treat İzmir's wastewater, discharges dirty water directly into the Gulf, and uses the Gulf like a septic tank. There is a management approach that has not taken a single step toward a solution until today."

"IS İZMİR CONNECTED TO GREECE?"

CHP's Veli Ağbaba responded to these remarks by Kurum, asking, "Is İzmir connected to Greece? Is it Greek territory?"

"THE CITIZEN GAVE THE NECESSARY ANSWER"

While Kurum stated, "We will be the followers of this matter," Committee Chairman Mehmet Muş warned the deputies, saying, "The citizen gave us all the necessary answer at the ballot box; stay calm."

INSULTS FLEW

Ağbaba reacted by saying, "I build the hospital, I build the airport, I build the roads, I build the highway. Who builds the Gulf? The AKP does the good things, and we do the bad things. You have been boasting for 22 years; did we govern the country?" Following this, a heated argument broke out between Ağbaba and AKP's Ejder Açıkkapı.

Ağbaba asked Açıkkapı, "You are a concrete contractor. Don't you do concrete work in Elazığ?" Açıkkapı replied, "Why are you meddling in Elazığ, you dishonorable, ill-mannered, immoral, characterless person. You are the biggest liar." Upon this, Ağbaba said, "You are the dishonorable and immoral one. Watch your mouth, you ill-mannered person. You are immoral; you wouldn't say these things if you weren't."

Following the arguments, Committee Chairman Mehmet Muş adjourned the meeting.