Binali Yıldırım's remarks on the mine where the collapse occurred are back on the agenda
As rescue efforts for workers continue following the collapse at the mine in İliç, Erzincan, statements and comments made by politicians regarding the mine have also come to the fore. This time, a video of Binali Yıldırım criticizing the villagers' protests has become a topic of discussion on social media.
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The mine, where gold is extracted using cyanide, has faced protests from both environmentalists and villagers since its very first days of operation. Residents of the Sabırlı village, where the mine is located, have frequently held demonstrations in the area to make their voices heard.
Binali Yıldırım, who was the AKP Deputy Chairman at the time, had stated in response to the villagers' protests: “There is misinformation here. The reason for this misinformation is as follows: Unfortunately, those whose minor interests are harmed are fueling negative propaganda. The mine provides significant support to İliç.”
Yıldırım's speech, which has resurfaced, includes the following statements:
“İliç is not the old İliç anymore. It has even surpassed Erzincan, and we are proud of it. All kinds of precautions are being taken, and inspections are being carried out. I specifically request that our fellow citizens do not pay attention to everything that is said. We need this; hundreds and thousands of jobs are being created there.
The standard of living of our citizens has risen significantly. There is no point in losing them. Gold mining is not only done there in the world. Technology is sufficient to take the safety measures for these.
Of course, the environment is important to us, but delaying or preventing us from mobilizing resources through perception operations... This is another game. We need to be careful about this too. Europeans made this mistake for years, and unfortunately, such propaganda occurs when it comes to our resources.”