İmamoğlu: It won't leave a speck of dirt on me

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu attended the groundbreaking ceremony and public meeting for the Çatalca European Side Miscellaneous 1 Drinking Water project, alongside CHP Çatalca Mayoral Candidate Erhan Güzel. Addressing the crowd at Republic Square, İmamoğlu stated that the AKP Mayor of Çatalca has not attended any of the groundbreaking ceremonies or events they have held in the district.

İmamoğlu spoke as follows:

* "This is how I view life. These offices come and go. The office I currently hold is a very sacred one. It is an important office of our ancient city. The owner of this office is the 16 million people of this city. The owner of the Çatalca mayoral office is the people of Çatalca. Some may think otherwise. They may think that whoever gave them that office is the owner of it. No, my dear brother. The office belongs to the nation. While fulfilling the rights of an office that belongs to the nation, people's politics and such remain before the election. The election ends, and then the journey of service begins. This government has changed the atmosphere. They have changed the climate, the morality, but the morality they have put forward is not good morality. The state of those who follow it is dire. We are following the path of the nation. That is our path.

"WE WILL NOT ALLOW THE KANAL İSTANBUL DISASTER"

* There are also those who have set their sights on Çatalca's agricultural lands, forests, Çatalca's beautiful nature, and pastures. There are also those who do not respect agriculture. Even if they don't mention it, there are those who are trying to move the areas extending to Silivri and Çatalca into an uncontrolled, terrifying process with the betrayal project called Kanal İstanbul. This would mean the end of Istanbul. We must be very vigilant against them and stand together against them. They say, 'It is not on our agenda.' Do not believe them.

* They take on every guise before the election. They take on every color. They are people trying to hide their true intentions, but they will put them into action at the first opportunity. They don't say 'We won't do it' anyway, they can't. They have made such promises to such circles that they are obliged to do it. That is why what will we do at the ballot box? We will be united. We will not allow them to inflict this great natural disaster source and national security problem called Kanal İstanbul on this nation. We will be the guardians of this city. Let them continue their lives with plunder, lies, and slander. They became known for waste. We became known for action.

"WE WILL DISTRIBUTE THE NATION'S MONEY TO THE NATION MORE"

* In their era, it was talked about which plot of land was given more zoning rights to whom. As for us, for 4.5 years, with Halk Süt (People's Milk), Anne Kart (Mother Card), nurseries, educational support, and scholarships... This brother of yours, together with his team, gave 7,500 lira in scholarships to 100,000 university students this year - may it be well-deserved. Next year, we will give 15,000 lira each to 100,000 of our young people. This government has plagued us with poverty in these difficult, lean days. They devalued our money. They made our retirees poor. We will make every contribution and sacrifice we can. Do you know why? They have other concerns, but do you know what our concern is? We are distributing the nation's money to the nation. We will distribute even more in the coming period.

* We will provide 10,000 lira in annual market support to households living on a single minimum wage and households living on a single pension. These households will receive one loaf of bread daily for free from Halk Ekmek (People's Bread) kiosks. We will also provide 10,000 lira in transportation support to one person in households living on a single minimum wage. We will increase the marriage support we provide to newlywed couples - which we initiated - to 30,000 lira. We will increase this to 100,000 couples across Istanbul over these 5 years. We will provide clothing voucher support twice a year to high school and university students in need.

"ISTANBUL HAS NO TOLERANCE TO RETURN TO BETRAYAL"

* These friends, so to speak, were only going to talk about Istanbul in this campaign. That's what they said, remember. They could only last a few weeks, they immediately ran out of steam, they immediately lost their way. Because they see that Istanbul has succeeded. Together, we ended waste and brought service. There is no turning back from this. Istanbul has no tolerance to return to neglect, betrayal, and waste, and it will not return. We will continue to walk together on the path of equality and justice. We will continue to walk together on the path of unity and brotherhood. Are we ready? Since we are talking about unity and brotherhood, I want to have a heart-to-heart talk with you now.

* Look, you have been listening to my speeches for 5 years, you know my attitude. I ask, for God's sake, have you ever seen me discriminate against or marginalize a single person - regardless of their political view, ethnic origin, or faith? Have you ever heard me question the patriotism or faith of my political rivals who insult me every day, even for a single day? They are jealous, that's true. They can't stand it. No one likes to have such a thing done to them. Then you should not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.

"A SIMULTANEOUS OPERATION HAS BEGUN"

* Why am I saying these things? A very simultaneous operation has begun. They are trying to sprout it anew. It also reveals the owner of the operation. As soon as my rival became a candidate and started slanders against me, the same campaign was launched simultaneously on social media. The campaign is what we know. It is exactly this. With fake videos and conspiracy videos, what is it, videos showing as if a terrorist organization is supporting me. The conspiracy started from dozens of accounts at the same time. They want everyone to see these videos by spending millions on advertising. It started in coordination with my rival's statements.

* I am underlining this. It is not random. Well, you remember these videos. Where do you remember them from? In the previous election, right? The boss of this conspiracy, at that time on live broadcast, looking into the eyes of millions of citizens, how did he confess the conspiracy? What did he say? He said, 'Whether it's a montage or this or that.' The owner is very clear. I am calling out to those who carry out the conspiracy. First of all, do not do to me what you do not want done to yourselves. Are you going to continue doing it? You will lose again. Every man has his own way of eating yogurt. Those conspiracies of yours, those smear campaigns of yours, will not leave even a speck of dirt on me. Mind your own business.

"INSULTING ATATÜRK BECAME FREE DURING THEIR ERA"

* Unfortunately, they use everything as a tool to the extent that it offends the national feelings and faith of this nation. I am telling them, I am calling out from here. I am not a fair-weather Kemalist like you. A lunatic comes out; he insults Atatürk to our faces, looking us in the eye. That lunatic insults, but no one makes a sound. Everyone suddenly becomes mute. No one opens their mouth. Unfortunately, insulting and cursing at Atatürk became free during their era.

* These types of lunatics also try to give us lessons on the Ottoman Empire. Who are you, who is the Ottoman Empire? What do you know about the Ottomans? The Ottoman Empire is ours, and the leader with yellow hair and blue eyes is also our leader. Know this from here. This government does not just watch these sworn enemies of Atatürk from afar in such situations. Do you know what they do? They also support them, and not just a little bit of support.

"INSULTING ATATÜRK BECAME FREE DURING THEIR ERA"

* Unfortunately, they use everything as a tool to the extent that it offends the national feelings and faith of this nation. I am telling them, I am calling out from here. I am not a fair-weather Kemalist like you. A lunatic comes out; he insults Atatürk to our faces, looking us in the eye. That lunatic insults, but no one makes a sound. Everyone suddenly becomes mute. No one opens their mouth. Unfortunately, insulting and cursing at Atatürk became free during their era.

* These types of lunatics also try to give us lessons on the Ottoman Empire. Who are you, who is the Ottoman Empire? What do you know about the Ottomans? The Ottoman Empire is ours, and the leader with yellow hair and blue eyes is also our leader. Know this from here. This government does not just watch these sworn enemies of Atatürk from afar in such situations. Do you know what they do? They also support them, and not just a little bit of support.

"THEY WILL STOP DEALING WITH EKREM İMAMOĞLU"

* In 2015, during their time in Çatalca, more than 100 of the KİPTAŞ residences were distributed to their party supporters. Who wasn't there, who wasn't... There is the Women's Branch President whom they made a member of parliament now. There is the son of the mayors. There is the daughter of the deputy mayor. There are the managers of their foundations. Anyway, an earthquake happens, and for some reason, the lottery for the earthquake housing goes to the member of parliament. I read it today while coming here. Guess who got the plot from the 'First Home Plot' project that TOKİ built for the lower-income level... To an AK Party member of parliament again. This is their true face.

* Do you know who will destroy this reign? Millions of young people who are conscientious and protect their rights will destroy it. And do you know when? It is not very far. Just 35 days later. On March 31, we will teach them such a lesson all together that they will stop threatening the nation. We will make them servants of the nation. We will do it all together. They will receive such a lesson in the election that they will struggle to lower inflation in the remaining time. In the remaining time, they will be in an effort to fix the economy they ruined, the cost increases, and the minimum wage that hit rock bottom. Our people, regardless of which party they are from, the Istanbul Alliance, that strong unity of conscience of our nation, will teach them such a lesson that the day after the ballot box, they will panic and run to government business. They will stop dealing with Ekrem İmamoğlu.

"LET'S WIN TOGETHER"

* Dear people of Çatalca; choose the one who protects the children of this city, the young people of this city, the respectable mothers, ladies, low-income earners, and retirees of this city. Be united once again for beautiful days. Be united for all of us, let's win all together. Come on Istanbul, full speed ahead. I vouch for the fact that this city will rejuvenate with Mr. Erhan, find its energy, and that he will be a mayor who produces service together with the people on the street, the avenue, and the market, for his morality, virtue, and diligence in getting things done. Are we ready to vote for Erhan Güzel in Çatalca? We also want votes for the assembly. We also want votes for Istanbul. Everything will be very beautiful.”

News Source: 12punto