Home > Current Affairs News > Özdağ reacts to AKP official who blocked the playing of the İzmir March: 'Are you a Greek sympathizer?'

Özdağ reacts to AKP official who blocked the playing of the İzmir March: 'Are you a Greek sympathizer?'

Band conductor Aytekin Özen has resigned from his post, claiming that the AKP District Chairman prevented the İzmir March from being played during a ceremony held in the Torbalı district of İzmir as part of the March 18 Martyrs' Remembrance Day and the 109th anniversary of the Çanakkale Victory. Özen stated, "I have not experienced what I went through today in my 51 years of life." Victory Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ expressed his reaction to this incident.

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Numerous reactions have been voiced regarding the tension that occurred during the ceremony held for the March 18 Martyrs' Remembrance Day.

Victory Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ joined those who supported band conductor Aytekin Özen, who resigned and protested after the İzmir March was not played, and who reacted to the AKP official.

Here are the statements made regarding the march tension:

The CHP Torbalı District Presidency made the following statement on the matter:

"The commemoration ceremony we held at the Martyrs' Monument to commemorate our martyrs on the 109th anniversary of our Çanakkale Victory was the scene of a very distressing event. AK Party District Chairman Metin Yüğrük, who was uncomfortable with the Municipal Band playing the İzmir March like all other marches, warned Torbalı District Governor Ercan Öter in an extremely inappropriate manner that did not comply with state decorum or protocol etiquette.

Aside from the fact that their own mayoral candidate did not deign to attend the ceremony; this uncouth attitude of Yüğrük has cast a shadow over our Çanakkale Victory and Martyrs' Remembrance Day, creating a meaningless tension on this day, which has very high spiritual value for the nation.

This attitude toward a public official in the office of the district governor, one of the highest offices representing the state, is unacceptable. The disrespect shown by Metin Yüğrük, who was uncomfortable with the İzmir March—which is about the Turkish Army's entry into İzmir during the War of Independence and which raises the national and spiritual feelings of everyone who hears it—was not only directed at Mr. Ercan Öter, but also at all the people of Torbalı and the memory of our sacred martyrs. We invite Metin Yüğrük to apologize to the public and the Torbalı District Governorship for this inappropriate behavior, and we strongly condemn his immoderate conduct.''

CHP Torbalı Mayoral Candidate Övünç Demir, in a statement on his social media account, used the following expressions:

"The AK Party District Chairman did not allow the İzmir March to be played at the March 18 ceremonies today. He had no tolerance for it. He raised his voice at the district governor in front of everyone. Sir, I swear; during my mayorship, you will have to listen to the İzmir March from the municipal loudspeakers every holiday, every celebration... Your hostility toward the Republic and Atatürk is enough. If you cannot tolerate listening to the İzmir March, you can go to the Wahhabi deserts with the Syrians you brought in. Your place is ready there."

On the other hand, former CHP İzmir Deputy Tacettin Bayır also reacted to the events in a message he published on his social media account, stating: "The İzmir March is one of the most important symbols of the War of Independence. This march represents the liberation of İzmir and the Turkish nation's struggle for independence. At the ceremony held in Torbalı; it is insolence for the AKP district chairman and the district governor not to allow the march to be played.

It is arrogance. Our martyrs are heroes who sacrificed their lives for their homeland. It is the duty of all of us to keep their memories alive and commemorate them with respect. Know your place, pull yourselves together. We owe every breath we take today to the last breaths given that day. They gave their lives, they did not give up the homeland. Those who forget how this country was founded and how great wars were won should look at the great epic written in Çanakkale.”

VICTORY PARTY CHAIRMAN ÖZDAĞ ALSO REACTED

One of those who reacted to the AKP official was Victory Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ. Özdağ shared the meeting between their İzmir Metropolitan Mayoral candidate Naşit Birgüvi and the band conductor on his social media account and reacted with the following words:

"In Torbalı, İzmir, the municipal band is playing the İzmir March during the March 18 celebrations. The AKP district chairman in the protocol whispers something into the ear of the Torbalı district governor. The district governor intervenes with the band very harshly and bans the playing of the İzmir March. The band conductor resigns. Victory Party Metropolitan Mayoral candidate Naşit Birgüvi talks to the band conductor. Please watch.

As for the Torbalı district governor, Torbalı district governor, why did the march that expresses the Turkish army's entry into İzmir and our martyrs bother you? Are you a Greek sympathizer? Would you have preferred the Greek army to win?

A day will come when you will be asked to defend this action of yours, which is a disrespect to the Turkish state and the Turkish nation."