AKP's Mahir Ünal criticizes İmamoğlu over 'City Restaurants': A soup kitchen critique

AKP MKYK member Mahir Ünal has targeted the 'City Restaurants' initiative implemented by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB). Ünal argued that the İBB should be providing soup kitchen services, but that Ekrem İmamoğlu has reduced this service.

Claiming that the City Restaurants have replaced soup kitchens, Ünal made the following remarks:

"During the Kadir Topbaş era, 1,600,000 people were being provided with free meals. When Ekrem İmamoğlu arrived, this figure first dropped to 700,000, and then to 200,000. Then, seeing that he could not handle this, he converted the soup kitchen in Üsküdar into a City Restaurant. Now, there is a policy being conducted solely through City Restaurants."

While the İBB, which implemented the City Restaurants project with a social municipalism approach, defends this model as it allows low-income citizens to eat at affordable prices, Ünal criticized this approach, saying, "İmamoğlu should have provided soup kitchen services."

'İMAMOĞLU IS AN INFLUENCER POLITICIAN'

Ünal characterized Ekrem İmamoğlu as an "influencer politician," claiming that he stands out through social media perception.

When asked by an NTV anchor, "Isn't that a bit unfair when you look at the vote percentages?" Ünal replied, "That is exactly the social media perception."

'NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE FOR ISTANBUL FOR 6 YEARS'

Ünal alleged that the İBB administration has not taken any concrete steps regarding public transportation in Istanbul.

"Now, when we look at the reality of Istanbul, the state of the subways is obvious, the state of the Metrobuses is obvious, and the state of the traffic is obvious. Everyone admits that nothing has been done for Istanbul for 6 years," he said.

News Source: 12punto