Nagehan Alçı makes a striking confession about Abdullah Gül! 'We used to drink wine on that plane...'

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's trip to Rome for the signing ceremony of the 2027 European Olympic Games, which will be held in Istanbul, has sparked reactions in the public eye.

While 73 people took part in İmamoğlu's Rome trip, 36 of them were journalists.

Responding to the criticisms regarding the trip, İmamoğlu said, "In our approximately 5.5-year term, this is the first time we have organized an event abroad, or we could even say domestically, where we brought journalists with the IMM's own budget. There is nothing more natural than this."

As the debate continues over İmamoğlu taking journalists to Rome and covering all expenses from the IMM budget, a striking confession came from journalist Nagehan Alçı on the subject.

Speaking on KRT TV, Alçı said, "I also participated in official trips during the time Abdullah Bey (Gül) was President, and we used to drink wine on that plane. There was alcohol during Tayyip Bey's early terms as well. If Ekrem İmamoğlu is taking 40-something people, then put alcohol on the plane too."

Alçı continued her remarks as follows;

"The problem I see there, as far as I understand, is this. I have been a journalist for 23 years, and I have participated in many official trips. Trips by the President, Tayyip Bey when he was Prime Minister, Foreign Ministers, leaders... There might be 1 or 2 exceptions I don't remember, I can forget some things, but for these trips, your institution covers the accommodation expenses. I don't remember very well, but on one or two trips I took with Mevlüt Bey, it was a very small group, I wonder if the Foreign Ministry covered the hotel, but I don't think so. Other than that, the institution definitely covers presidential and prime ministerial trips. You only go on a state plane with the Prime Minister or President, and of course, no fee is charged there; the plane is taking off anyway. The institution also covers the meals there. Well, unless a businessman is accompanying, or someone is there, a foundation president, that's different. They are all like that. If this is from the municipal budget, Ekrem İmamoğlu's move is wrong. It was said that Ekrem Bey covered his Black Sea trip, but transportation support was received, etc. This is a very large group and you are going to Rome. It is said to be a very expensive hotel. Institutions can pay for it."

Upon the remarks of host Hasan Basri Akdemir, "We were on a live broadcast with Ertuğrul Özkök yesterday, he said 'we didn't drink wine.' In fact, let me give you this information, no one drank on that plane going or coming back, I paid for it myself from my own pocket while going..." he shared such a memory," Alçı replied as follows:

"I also participated in official trips during the time Abdullah Bey (Gül) was President, and we used to drink wine on that plane. There was alcohol during Tayyip Bey's early terms as well. There was alcohol on the planes. If Ekrem İmamoğlu is taking 40-something people, then put alcohol on the plane too. This is not a shame, nor is it a sin."