Murat Kurum makes statement on '17 Ministers' and ballot box security during live broadcast

Responding to questions about the agenda during a live broadcast on A Haber, Kurum said that voters expect a mayor to care about their city and to be by their side during difficult times.

Following the screening of a video clip regarding his work in disaster zones and his communication with disaster victims, Kurum said, "We made decisions and implemented them on the ground, on-site. There was no 'Let's see, let's do, let's go, let's work' approach; we made the decision there, and work started immediately."

When reminded of IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's visit to the region during the Elazığ earthquake, Kurum stated, "We were working on the ground, and they said, 'The CHP mayor has arrived.' As far as I understand, they took a few photos and then went skiing, I believe in Erzurum. We, on the other hand, worked for days on the ground to keep our promises to our citizens. I stayed in Elazığ for over 40 days; almost all of Elazığ saw us off at the airport. I can never forget that moment. You know, that's why we became 'Kara Murat'."

Kurum also spoke as follows regarding İmamoğlu's criticisms of him:

"I worked with all our ministers; why are you bothered by those ministers sharing their thoughts with the public alongside me today? They worked, they saw, and they are telling what they saw; they are not doing anything different. You were sitting around a table on May 14-28. What were they saying? 'Strength is born from unity. We will walk the path together.' 6 party leaders, several vice presidential candidates.

There was no problem when you had 6-7 people by your side that day; if you are alone now, turn and look in the mirror. You went and stabbed the deputy chairman and the party leader who made you the mayor of Istanbul in the back. If he saw Ms. Meral Akşener, whom he called 'my sister, my sister,' on the street, he would try to go the other way.

There is no one left around the table, why? Because you are an incompatible person, you don't get along with anyone, you don't act with anyone, and you see yourself on Mount Kaf, but the nation does not see you there."

Kurum drew attention to the "Fast and Solid Steps for Istanbul" meeting held today, where he announced his emergency action plan for the first 6 months and 1 year, and explained the details of his projects.

When reminded of İmamoğlu's remarks regarding Istanbul's budget, Kurum said, "How did he not receive it, where is the money going then? I was the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change; we send it personally from the Iller Bank. Istanbul is the municipality that receives the highest share today in terms of population and size, and it is paid on time. We have increased it exactly 5 times compared to 2018; 18 billion liras were going then, now it has increased 5 times and 96 billion is going, even more than 5. It had a budget of 104 billion in 2023, and 92 percent of this came from the state."

EMPHASIS ON BALLOT BOX SECURITY

Regarding various polls, Kurum said, "They said, 'We won, keep it between us, we are ahead, we are winning,' during the presidential elections as well. They will do the same on Sunday. I want to announce to our nation and ballot box officials here; we will watch the same polemic, the same scenario again on Sunday evening.

Therefore, let us not be complacent until our ballot box officials deliver those sealed ballot results to the election boards; let us not abandon our ballot boxes because they will play the same game again. They will say 'We are ahead' again; you know they did the same in the May elections, what happened? In the end, we were victorious again, and we will win on the evening of March 31."

Addressing New Welfare Party (Yeniden Refah Partisi) voters, Kurum used the following expressions:

"We were together with our New Welfare Party voters within the People's Alliance (Cumhur İttifakı) during the May elections. I wish we could experience the same togetherness today. In fact, our New Welfare Party voters are the voters who know the CHP's understanding of municipalism best. Our late teacher (Erbakan) had dreams for the growth, development, progress, and domestic and national industry of this country. 

For 22 years, our President has struggled with his team to realize these dreams. If we have our tanks, cannons, unmanned aerial vehicles, Baykars, Bayraktars, Akıncıs, and SİHAs today, and if our Kızılelma is on its way, it is thanks to the struggle given to realize those dreams.

If Hagia Sophia has been freed from its shackles and the call to prayer echoes there forever, it has happened with the reflection of that will. If our President is challenging the whole world today against the oppression in Palestine and Jerusalem, it is again a manifestation of this understanding. Now, when you look at the Çamlıca Mosque, it greets Hagia Sophia; our Levent Barbaros Mosque is there; the works left to us by our civilization are serving Istanbul today in their renewed form."

When it was conveyed that it was said, "The New Welfare Party is working to make the AK Party lose and the CHP win," Kurum assessed, "I honestly do not think that our voters will fall into such a mistake; I don't even consider it a possibility. Our New Welfare Party brothers and sisters are voters who know whether their votes will benefit the CHP mentality or whether they should support those who struggle to realize the dreams I just described when they go to the ballot box."

When asked about his message to DEM Party voters, Kurum said the following:

"We are candidates for the votes of 16 million Istanbulites, and we will provide equal service to 16 million; we will work with this understanding. Whatever consensus they operate under there, the voter also has discernment and a decision.

They will reflect that decision clearly at the ballot box. They will either give it to the one who gets the job done or make their choice based on their own ideology and base.

They know clearly that a vote used for the other side will not benefit them; they tried this before. They were at the table of seven; what happened? Today they have all fallen out with each other. Now he says, 'I am alone'; why are you alone? Turn and look in the mirror. You gave promises to the nation, you didn't keep them. You deceived the nation, you mocked the nation's intelligence. Our voters no longer want to be deceived. They want service, they want works, they want to live in peace in Istanbul."