Ekrem İmamoğlu responds to Akşener's remarks

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu participated in a live broadcast on Sözcü TV, moderated by Senem Toluay Ilgaz. Responding to questions from Uğur Dündar, İpek Özbey, İsmail Saymaz, and Deniz Zeyrek, İmamoğlu shared his assessments on the current agenda.

Responding to the provocation directed at Özgür Özel, İmamoğlu said, "It is as if there is no government in this country; the government is turning into the opposition. Some are being declared traitors. The government and the President are responsible for the rise in terrorism. He is the one who should be held accountable. These types of attacks are not citizen initiatives; they are organized acts. They are simple games played before every election."

STATEMENT ON CAN ATALAY

Highlights from İmamoğlu's speech are as follows:

"Can Atalay must immediately take his seat in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). You are failing in terms of democracy and constitutional rights in Turkey. We are being disgraced before the world. You are failing in terms of democracy and constitutional rights in Turkey. When the time comes, you can release someone from prison at the instruction of another country, put them on a plane, and send them to their country.

RESPONSE TO AKŞENER

I did not take it personally in any way. There are no remarks that concern me. Sometimes there may be remarks targeting me. I get saddened. Words can be said. I value certain relationships. They speak of a sister-brother relationship. There are other things that establish that relationship. The day will come when a sister sits down with her brother, and these issues will be resolved. Very harsh rhetoric and changes in direction are normal for a party, but we are not the addressees of this.

(Is your relationship with Akşener strained?) I have no such information. I had a very sincere conversation with her last. Before Mr. Özgür Özel visited her, with the knowledge of my Chairman, I called her and we had a phone conversation that lasted nearly half an hour. I said, 'I am always here.' I will never fail in courtesy or respect. Some words have hurt me. One day, as siblings, we will resolve that.

"WE ALSO HAVE MEGA PROJECTS"

Tevfik Göksu took on a difficult task; managing Esenler and being the council member responsible for Ekrem İmamoğlu was a difficult job.

We also have mega projects. We have our nurseries; if it's not 150, we will make it 200. Distributing milk is also a mega project. Helping a newlywed couple, helping a newborn baby—these are the mega projects of this era.

IS THERE A RIFT BETWEEN YOU AND KILIÇDAROĞLU?

I have a tremendous dialogue with Mr. Özgür Özel. I know well what responsibilities I must take within the institutional structure. He is my Chairman. Where Ekrem İmamoğlu is, there is no harm to institutionalism. An election took place. After the election, I shared my thoughts with Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu. I said I could not speak a single word about my party, and I did not speak out for 188 days. I do not discuss my party's problems with anyone. My relationship with Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu is not strained. If I go to Ankara, I will meet with him. I hope we can do that. I do not discuss my family matters outside. If I have a concern, I share it with them, whatever I think is in the interest of my party and my city.

During the program, Ekrem İmamoğlu also mimicked the voice of President Erdoğan.

'METRO' STATEMENT

When we took office in Istanbul, 10 of this city's metro lines were not working. They had not properly arranged financing for any of the projects they tendered in 2015-16-17. They didn't even have the projects. We took office while such a process was underway. We were even elected twice. We took office 3 months late. Our first job is to find solutions to the fundamental problems of this city. We secured 2.3 billion Euros in financing. Public support is zero. We could not get a single penny from the state's public banks. If they have any shame, I say this so that those in those public banks might hang their heads in shame. We secured financing from abroad.

There is an excavation at Beşiktaş square. It is an 8-year-old excavation. Therefore, the opening of that station keeps getting delayed. To make things easier, we opened Mahmutbey-Mecidiyeköy. Then we opened Yıldız. One can board the metro from Yıldız."