Murat Kurum targets Ekrem İmamoğlu: Who brought water to Hatay?

The People's Alliance's Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate, Murat Kurum, made statements regarding the current agenda during his appearance on the Net Bakış Özel program on TVNET.

Kurum said that during the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, both great pain was experienced and a mobilization effort unprecedented in the world was launched.

Stating that they initiated search and rescue operations in 11 provinces simultaneously during the earthquake, Kurum said, "We made visits to a different province every day, along with their districts. What a painful coincidence. We delivered aid to citizens in the region with the brother of our police officer who was martyred in a helicopter crash the other day."

Arguing that the crisis in the earthquake zone was managed correctly and that this is why the nation supported them, Kurum continued his words as follows:

"The perception of the process there was managed correctly, so people believed these promises. What had the opposition promised back then? Our nation expressed its will in favor of our President, and we received a record number of votes. The public gave the score, and they made our President the president again in the May 28 elections. They said unspeakable things to our earthquake-victim brothers and sisters, but they trusted our President, and their trust was not in vain."

"WE MUST TRANSFORM ISTANBUL"

Expressing that he has been meeting with earthquake expert Prof. Dr. Naci Görür for a long time, Kurum said, "He is a scientist accepted by both Turkey and the world. When we asked, 'Can we work with you on this issue?', he said, 'Of course.' When we asked, 'What can we do against an earthquake in Istanbul?', he shed light for us. When it comes to human life, you cannot make party distinctions. Istanbul must transform. We must transform Istanbul. On March 31, Istanbulites will decide this. The projects we have prepared are not just models; they are all real, completed projects. Within 5 years, we will ensure the transformation of 650 thousand residences. We will also build 100 thousand rental homes, and these homes will not be sold. We will put forward an integrated disaster management plan. We will create a digital twin of our Istanbul. We will establish a Disaster Management Center at Atatürk Airport."

Stating that the more harmoniously one works with ministries, the central government, and the opposition, the stronger one will be, Kurum said, "We have supported every project that is for the benefit of our nation. If our nation is going to benefit, why should we hinder it?"

TARGETED İMAMOĞLU

Regarding İBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's remarks directed at President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Kurum spoke as follows:

"You cannot get anywhere with a style of politics that is devoid of respect and aimed at shifting the agenda outside of Istanbul. Who brought the water to Hatay? The Konya Metropolitan Municipality brought it. If you are a major Metropolitan Municipality, why didn't you build 10 thousand homes, why didn't you show the will to solve the infrastructure there? When it comes to talk, there is plenty of talk. Their bags are empty. An administration that has not kept any of the promises it made in Istanbul is now polarizing people in a way that is far from sincerity. It is shifting the agenda outside of Istanbul again. It's not Istanbul's metro, housing, or disaster, not the citizen's plight; what is the agenda? Mr. Ekrem's issue is moving the agenda to different topics and seeing this place as a stepping stone. We have learned this now. These scenarios are over. You will not take any steps against the earthquake, you will promise 115 thousand homes, and build 5 thousand homes. Now you will talk about Hatay. Who would believe your sincerity?"

"WE WILL NOT PRACTICE PART-TIME MUNICIPALITY"

Stating that if Istanbul uses its resources correctly, it will be enough for Istanbul, Kurum said that they will not marginalize anyone, they will not practice part-time municipality, and that he will act as a brother to Istanbulites after March 31.

Stating that he met with TOKİ rights holders in Tuzla and listened to them for hours, Kurum said, "Our TOKİ Presidency and our Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change have also started a study to do everything that can be done."

Touching on the solution to the traffic problem in Istanbul, Kurum assessed, "Traffic density, which was 47 percent in 2019, has risen to 64 percent in 2024, and to 90 percent during peak traffic hours. By 2034, we will increase rail system usage from 26 percent to 48 percent with our projects. We have set a zero-emission target for 2040. Istanbulites will live intertwined with greenery. There will be no district left without a metro. We have to expand the city to Silivri in the West and Tuzla in the East, and in this sense, provide equal service to every district. We plan to build 151 intersections. We will remove the Esenler and Harem bus terminals."

READ THE 'REAL MUNICIPALITY' OATH

Reading the "Real Municipality" oath for the first time on live broadcast, Kurum stated that there will be 1004 kilometers of rail lines in 2034 and that the plight on the metrobus route will end.

Underlining that 100 thousand lira in grants will be given to young entrepreneurs, Kurum noted the following:

"100 thousand people will be provided with fully equipped office facilities. Young people getting married for the first time will be given 50 thousand lira in home appliance support. Every student will be given a scholarship of 10 thousand lira. A special water tariff for students will be implemented. We will cover half of the ticket for students traveling to their hometowns. We will provide discounted transportation opportunities for teachers. Teachers working in public schools were benefiting; we will also include teachers working in private schools in this scope. We will revitalize İSMEK. Thus, everyone will have a profession."