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Nebi Hatipoğlu: If elected, we will pay a salary to journalists who work in favor of the municipality

Nebi Hatipoğlu, who resigned from the İYİ Party to join the AKP and was nominated as the Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate, said, 'If elected, we will pay a salary to journalists who work in favor of the municipality.'

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Nebi Hatipoğlu, who resigned from the İYİ Party to join the AKP and subsequently became the AKP's Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate, promised that if elected, he would provide a minimum wage from the municipal budget to members of the press who "work in favor of the municipality."

AKP Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Mayoral Candidate Nebi Hatipoğlu met with members of the press working in Eskişehir on the occasion of January 10, Working Journalists Day. Celebrating Working Journalists Day, Hatipoğlu stated during his speech that he also had promises for journalists.

According to a report by Şenay Bilik Yıldırım from Gazete Duvar, Hatipoğlu's promise was to provide a salary to journalists from the municipal budget if he wins the election.

"WE WILL PROVIDE A MINIMUM WAGE TO PRESS MEMBERS WHO WORK IN FAVOR OF THE MUNICIPALITY"

Stating that low income is the biggest problem for the local press in Eskişehir, Hatipoğlu said:

“Because it is very important for the press to have economic freedom in order to be free and to be able to exercise its will. Despite all conditions, our press in Eskişehir does not publish fake news and continues its path with accurate news, but if I become the metropolitan mayor under AKP municipalism, I will provide great support.

We explain the support as follows: with some commissions we will establish in our municipality, we are thinking of evaluating our friends working in the press for work to be done in favor of our municipality and our Eskişehir. For that period, whatever the minimum wage is, we, as the municipality, will provide all our press members with one minimum wage from the municipality's resources and companies.”

"WE CONSIDER THIS A BRIBERY PROMISE"

Following Hatipoğlu's statements, Yılmaz Karaca, President of the Eskişehir Journalists Association, issued a written press statement. Karaca reacted to Hatipoğlu.

Karaca stated the following:

"It is normal for a mayoral candidate to want to support media organizations, but a promise that sounds like a bribe to employees is not right. It has hurt journalists that Hatipoğlu, who was a newspaper owner for a while, made this promise on January 10, Working Journalists Day. We consider this promise of Hatipoğlu to be a bribery promise and we condemn it."

Hatipoğlu later made another statement on the social media platform X.

"THEY ARE VERY HURT"

Hatipoğlu used the following expressions:

"Today, at the dinner we gave to media members for World Journalists Day, I promised support to my journalist friends when we take over the administration. Why? Because I believe that if the 4th Estate, the media, does not function correctly in our city, we cannot establish a transparent understanding of municipalism. The stronger the structure we call local media is, the better and more participative a city is managed. For this reason, I promised support to our journalist friends, to local press members. And without making any political or other distinctions. I will do this both for my city and for the press workers who sweat in the snow, in the winter, and in the most difficult conditions for the public's freedom to receive information. So, what did the Eskişehir Journalists Association, one of the permanent supporters of the current administration, say about my promise of support for press workers? They are very hurt.

Friends, let everyone hear this! The management approach that is of no use to anyone in Eskişehir is nearing its end. I will not leave any professional group that makes up this city alone, including press workers. I will share the troubles of all my fellow citizens and contribute to every professional group. I will touch the lives of retirees, students, workers, farmers, women, and men in a positive way. Those who think of no one but themselves, who have never been of use to a single person in this life, and who pontificate from their warm seats, let them be hurt."