Özgür Özel's remarks on İmamoğlu: 'They might not release him, we will have our candidates instead'

Özgür Özel attended a program held in Balıkesir as part of his party's “Defending the National Will” rallies. Addressing the crowd gathered at Kuvayi Milliye Square, Özel spent a large portion of his speech making statements about the imprisoned Ekrem İmamoğlu.

“THEY MIGHT NOT RELEASE IMAMOĞLU”

Reminding the audience that Ekrem İmamoğlu is currently imprisoned, Özgür Özel used striking expressions regarding the election process.

Özel said, “Ekrem İmamoğlu is in jail. They might not release him. We will have our candidates instead. Our struggle will certainly continue in his place. Any CHP member is a candidate for the CHP.”

Addressing the crowd in the square, Özel asked, “I ask Balıkesir; are each of you ready to wake up every morning as a presidential candidate until the ballot box arrives?”

STRIKING ALLEGATIONS REGARDING THE IBB CASE

In his speech, Özgür Özel also alleged that some individuals who benefited from effective remorse in the case against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) have retracted their statements.

Özel stated, “Don't worry at all, an allegation in the IBB case collapses every day. The slanderers are retracting their statements one by one.”

Referring to the statements of the imprisoned Murat Kapki, Özel said the following:

“A lawyer comes to me, puts a paper in front of me, and asks for a signature under things I have never seen or heard of in my life. He says they offered him freedom in exchange for smearing Mayor Ekrem and Chairman Özgür.”

“THEY RECEIVED 50 MILLION TL IN DONATIONS” ALLEGATION

The CHP leader also made striking allegations regarding Murat Gül İbrahimoğlu.

Özel said, “They received 50 million TL in donations for the Murat Kurum campaign. They pressured him to become a whistleblower, but he did not.”

Özel also stated that İbrahimoğlu's company employees testified, saying, “We did not give anything to the CHP; whatever we gave, we gave to the AK Party.”

“SOME RELY ON THEIR PROSECUTORS AND JUDGES”

Addressing the crowd in Balıkesir, Özel also made statements targeting the government.

“Some rely on their prosecutors and judges. They rely on their positions, they rely on the resources of the state,” said Özel, adding that they, on the other hand, rely on the citizens filling the squares.

Özel stated that the Balıkesir rally was one of the largest crowds the city has ever seen.

“WE ARE THE TURKEY ALLIANCE”

Reiterating the “Turkey Alliance” rhetoric he has voiced many times before, Özel argued that citizens from different political views are meeting under the same roof.

Özel said, “We have brought together social democrats and conservative democrats, nationalist democrats and Kurdish democrats, liberal democrats and socialist democrats in the same unity.”

Stating “We are the Turkey Alliance,” Özel said the alliance takes its colors from the red flag with the crescent and star.

In a part of his speech, the CHP leader made assessments regarding the economy and the tax system, drawing attention to the burden of indirect taxes on citizens in Turkey.

Citing taxes on electricity, natural gas, diapers, and basic necessities as examples, Özel described the current system as an “unjust tax regime.”

Özel also directed criticisms at the government over high taxes on telephones and automobiles.

“WE OPENED AKPDEN2.COM”

Speaking about the website he had previously brought to the agenda, Özel said, “They shut down akpden.com, we opened it again as akpden2.com.”

Giving the tax burden on mobile phone and automobile prices as an example, Özel said that it is becoming increasingly difficult for young people to own homes and cars.

At the end of his speech, Özel argued that there are attacks against the CHP and stated that they will continue to fight against the pressure and accusations directed at their party.