Buğra Gökce explains the purpose of the IBB operation: 'An attempt is being made to usurp the national will'

Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA) President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Buğra Gökce, who was arrested as part of the investigation launched into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), has explained the three main objectives of the operation against the IBB.

Speaking to Çağdaş Bayraktar from Cumhuriyet, Gökce said, 'The number one goal of the operation is to prevent İmamoğlu from appearing before the public as a presidential candidate. Its second goal is to stop this political journey by arresting İmamoğlu's close associates, our colleagues, and us. Its third and most important goal is to usurp the national will.' He emphasized that the third and most important goal is to usurp the national will.

The answers Buğra Gökce gave to the questions are as follows:

'What have you experienced since you were taken into custody until today?

We are experiencing many emotions at once. Of course, there is some pain and sadness. For many years, I served our country in local governments as a public official. I served as the president of the TMMOB Chamber of City Planners. In these roles, the accusations we face are painful in one respect, as someone who has always meticulously protected public rights and cherished every single penny of our nation. I am the child of a father who is a Cyprus veteran. The state discipline we received and our loyalty to our nation cannot be questioned. Today, unfortunately, we are faced with a picture prepared in a very poor manner, at a level unworthy of state seriousness and our country. However, our faith in bright days is infinite. These days will pass. We will reach the beautiful days our people deserve.'

'WE CANNOT BE PROUD ENOUGH OF OUR NATION'

While you were inside, very large protest actions were held; were you able to follow them, what do you think?

No matter how much we thank our nation, no matter how proud we are of our nation, it is not enough. Our people took to the streets to claim national sovereignty and democratic life; they claimed their own will and the ballot box. I know that these actions never find a response in the conscience of our people; our people reject them and want a free and fair future. If a nation wants freedom and justice, it will definitely win. I am full of gratitude to our nation.

What kind of goal do you think the operation has?

We are facing an operation that has been going on for a very long time and has been brought to this point in stages. In 2019, 1 out of 4 ballots was canceled. Those who wanted to eliminate Ekrem İmamoğlu in the elections held suffered a historic defeat. Unfortunately, they did not show respect for the ballot box after this defeat. The number one goal of the operation is to prevent İmamoğlu from appearing before the public as a presidential candidate. Its second goal is to stop this political journey by arresting İmamoğlu's close associates, our colleagues, and us. Its third and most important goal is to usurp the national will. I believe that a majority exceeding 28 million of our citizens will also show what Turkey's will is by signing.'

IPA data was targeted by pro-government journalists, why do you think?

The data disturbed two groups of people. Those who do not want to see the facts and those who do not want the public to learn the facts. We did nothing other than showing the facts through academic studies. We are not faced with a mentality that thinks about reaching the truth and acting within the framework of this truth. On the contrary, there is a mind that is hostile to the truth. For them, facts and all data are valuable only if they serve their own political goals. Otherwise, they have no value.

OCCURRED DURING A PERIOD WHEN HE WAS NOT IN OFFICE

Information was obtained from the investigation file in which IPA President Buğra Gökce is detained, regarding some accusations covering the period when he was not in office at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, in both his police and prosecutor interrogations.

According to the information obtained, Gökce was asked in his interrogation about money transfers made to some companies through Kültür AŞ and Medya AŞ. Stating that these transactions took place outside of his term of office at the IBB, Gökce expressed that the accusations directed at him were not legally or factually valid.

'OUTSIDE MY AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY'

Despite this, questions regarding the years when Gökce was not in office at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality continued persistently. Although Buğra Gökce stated that he did not have any supervisory responsibility regarding the implementation of tenders during his time in office, the same questions were directed at him.

According to the investigation file, Gökce responded to these questions as follows: 'It is very clear that I do not have any duty or responsibility at the IBB because I was serving as the Secretary General of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality on the alleged dates. Therefore, it is not possible to attribute a crime to me in this area. The relationships between the contractor of the tender and the subcontractor are also outside my area of duty and responsibility.'

IPA President Buğra Gökce was also asked why he spoke with İmamoğlu and some high-level municipal officials, with their phone numbers provided.

Gökce responded to these questions as follows:

"All the people I spoke with in these records are official municipal employees. They are people whose areas of duty and authority sometimes overlap and with whom we need to exchange information. As a deputy secretary general, meeting frequently with the department heads reporting to me is a requirement of my job and a fundamental condition for my operations not to be disrupted. There is nothing more natural than my meeting with a department head. Not meeting with a department head would mean that I am violating my duty.”

Buğra Gökce stated that he was not in office at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in 6 out of the 7 accusations directed at him. It is understood from the investigation file that although he stated that the one accusation fell under the scope of duty of the relevant commission and not his own, and that he had no meetings with the affiliates and firms in question, the prosecutor's office requested his arrest and the court agreed with this request.'