Mansur Yavaş's 'crazy project' statement: 'We are practicing real municipalism'

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş met with citizens by attending the 'Consultation Meeting of the Federation of Democratic Associations of Kars and Surrounding Provinces and the Erzurum Solidarity Federation,' hosted by the Ankara City Council.

"I HAVE NO 'CRAZY PROJECTS'"

Stating that his priority is always human health, Yavaş said, "Everyone is busy saying 'my crazy project' and burying the public's clean money into non-functional, junk projects. I don't have any 'crazy projects.' My biggest project is to encourage people to produce again. Perhaps we are number one in Turkey; we are providing the most extensive agricultural support. The money we receive from you in Ankara is money you have entrusted to me. Our priority is human health; all our work is in this direction, and we spend the money on whatever the public's general needs are. Our biggest promise was this: we will be transparent and accountable. There is no one else but us who broadcasts tenders live; anyone who wants can watch any tender they wish on the internet. We are accountable; you can see every penny of expenditure we make on our website. If we have any shortcomings, we are proud to be held accountable," he said.

PROJECTS THAT WILL ELIMINATE POVERTY

Stating, "If you manage it alone, you bury the clean money that the public pays with difficulty into junk projects," Yavaş continued his remarks with the following words:

"Then they don't understand why Mansur Yavaş is loved; they say he is creating a perception. We only publish the work we do on social media; there is nothing related to propaganda. I don't go on television. All the television channels are in your hands. Then how does Mansur Yavaş create this perception? This is the point they don't understand. We are practicing real municipalism. We use the money of the people of Ankara only for the needs of those living in Ankara. When there were so many villages without sewage systems, villages without water, and while they were waiting for you to build a treatment plant, where did you spend this money? When you had an income like a fortune, didn't you ever think about what these people eat or drink? Didn't the mentality before us ever think about how a family receiving social support stays warm at home? For 3 years, we have been providing natural gas support to families receiving social support, ensuring their children stay warm at home. We provide stationery assistance, meat support, and school bus support so that the children of those families can study and they, too, will no longer need support. Instead of managing poverty, we have to carry out projects that will eliminate poverty. The first step of this is to do whatever it takes to educate their children. The people of Ankara trusted us. I took note of what our president said a moment ago. I will write 'Şehr-i Emin' (Trustee of the City) of Ankara on the posters. Why is 'Şehr-i Emin' important? So that you know where the money you entrusted goes, and that you know it is not spent on junk projects."