Ekrem İmamoğlu's remarks on Murat Kurum: Expecting more would be wishful thinking

Turkey will head to the polls on March 31, 2024. Istanbul is among the cities where the local elections are most anticipated.

While the CHP has nominated the current IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the AKP's IMM candidate is Murat Kurum. The race in this critical election is expected to be between these two figures.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu made significant statements as the local elections approach.

Speaking to İpek Özbey from Sözcü, IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu argued that the only thing AKP candidate Murat Kurum presented for Istanbul during his ministerial term was "prime land, vacant land, reserve areas, and public land rent."

Stating that Murat Kurum does not know Istanbul, İmamoğlu said, "He can only speak and explain to the extent that he knows Istanbul. He is doing quite well right now because he is sharing as much as he knows. I think expecting more would be wishful thinking. Mr. Kurum was the Minister of Environment and Urbanization. The only thing he presented in Istanbul was, so to speak, zoning rent on prime land, vacant land, reserve areas, public land, or land belonging to a certain group within the city..."

"AK PARTY IS IN A DIFFICULT POSITION"

Using the term 'appointee to Istanbul' for Kurum, İmamoğlu said that the AKP and Erdoğan are in a difficult position and therefore struggled in general to field candidates.

Stating that 60 percent of society opposes the Kanal Istanbul project and that it is therefore no longer being discussed, İmamoğlu said, "Instead of choosing a mayor from among people who have served in Istanbul for years or have been a part of this business, their calculations are clear... They have placed someone there who represents the understanding of betraying Istanbul through TOKİ, Emlak Konut, and the Ministry of Urbanization."

A NOTABLE RESPONSE TO THE AKŞENER QUESTION

Responding to the question, "Why is Akşener so angry with you?", İmamoğlu used the following expressions;

"Actually, I don't feel such anger directed at me from Ms. Akşener. She made such a statement once, and I see that she has not continued it, at least not directed at me personally. I can describe it as a psychological state resulting from not being able to come together and sit down to talk. I do not feel that the sister-brother and father-son sentiment has fallen apart in the way it was described to me. But if there is a one-sided breakdown, that is not a situation I can define with my own will. In my person, in my soul, there is no such feeling."