What did İmamoğlu discuss with Akşener? 'I think it can happen whenever we want'

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu answered questions from journalists following his phone call with İYİ Party Chair Meral Akşener on Monday.

İmamoğlu said, "We hadn't been able to speak due to our own internal party agendas. I called to check in on her."

"WE EXPRESSED THAT WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO COMMUNICATION"

İmamoğlu continued his remarks as follows:

"Ultimately, 5 years ago, we set out and won the election as the candidate of what was then called the Nation Alliance. Until this term ends, we are the mayors representing that alliance. In this context, we shared our thoughts on the current agenda with her. She herself expressed that they are open to communication. We have also stated that we are always open."

When asked, "Will there be a face-to-face meeting?", İmamoğlu replied: "We haven't made such a plan at the moment, but I think it can happen whenever we want. We have no obstacles."

Speaking about Mansur Yavaş's visit to Akşener at the İYİ Party Headquarters, and regarding Yavaş's words, "We received the message," İmamoğlu said: "I don't know exactly what tone Mansur Yavaş used when he said that. There is nothing more correct and positive than our Mayor Mansur Yavaş visiting Meral Akşener. We also talk. We manage these processes by consulting with our Chairperson Özgür Özel regarding all these developments."

ALLIANCE DISCUSSIONS

Following İYİ Party Chair Meral Akşener's statement that they would enter the local elections alone, İBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu had sent a message about an "Istanbul Alliance." CHP leader Özgür Özel, on the other hand, had pointed out that the word "cooperation" could be used instead of "alliance."

Following these developments between the two parties, Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş visited Akşener at the İYİ Party Headquarters. No message regarding an alliance emerged after the meeting.

In his statement today, Ekrem İmamoğlu gave the message that face-to-face meetings could happen "at any moment."