Murat Kurum's response to Ekrem İmamoğlu's 'copy-paste project' criticism: 'Those who stop by the municipality in their spare time...'

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) mayoral candidate Murat Kurum met with party members at the "3-Tier District Management-Ballot Box Officials-School Supervisors" program in Kağıthane as part of his local election campaign.

Recalling the "Century of Turkey Istanbul Vision" program held on Thursday, Kurum said, "We shared our projects, our dreams, and our love and passion for Istanbul with our nation under 10 main headings. What did we always say in the field? 'Anything that is not on the agenda of Istanbulites will never, ever be on our agenda.' This claim also means that whatever is in the dreams of Istanbulites, we will make it our own dream, and we will remain faithful to our word together with our fellow Istanbulites. In the meeting where we described the next 100 years of Istanbul, we tried to focus on the real troubles, real problems, and real demands of our people."

RESPONSE TO İMAMOĞLU

Kurum responded to İBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's 'copy-paste project' criticism with the following words:

"When we announced these projects, the current administration immediately became anxious. They say, 'These are copy-paste projects. We will see if we can benefit from these projects, we will examine them in this sense.' From here, from Kağıthane, we say to them: We never, ever expect an administration that practices part-time municipalism and only stops by the municipality in their spare time to appreciate us. It is the nation that will appreciate us; it is Kağıthane and Bayrampaşa that will appreciate us. Of course, they will also benefit from these projects. If they are going to live in Istanbul on the morning of April 1, they, like all Istanbulites, will benefit from these services and these projects. Now, I couldn't understand the copy-paste part. Were 650 kilometers of metro lines built in Istanbul in the last 5 years and we didn't see it? Were the promises made to Kağıthane in the last 5 years kept and we didn't hear it? Were two tunnels built on both sides of Istanbul and we didn't see it? Were the problems of Istanbul's youth and women solved in Istanbul and we didn't hear it? Were 122 kilometers of tunnel, highway, and intersection projects built in Istanbul and Istanbulites didn't see it? Istanbulites see everything, Kağıthane sees everything. Be patient until March 31; they will give you the necessary answer at the ballot box. We see this. Believe me, we feel this enthusiasm everywhere in Istanbul."

Pointing to the evening of March 31, Kurum said, "We will work and run hand in hand, heart to heart, and shoulder to shoulder with my brothers and sisters who will turn every corner of Istanbul into a festive celebration. We will be on the roads together. Because history is waiting for us, our friends are waiting for us. Our siblings, our mothers are waiting for us. Teacher Aybüke's mother is waiting for us. The road to be traveled, the door to be knocked on is waiting for us. Istanbul's 39 districts, 964 neighborhoods, and the streets of Istanbul are waiting for us."