Journalist Barış Terkoğlu shared information he received from Ekrem İmamoğlu's inner circle on Onlar TV. Terkoğlu stated that İmamoğlu believes the meeting taking place on September 9 was "problematic in terms of timing," but that "Erdoğan, not Yavaş, was responsible" for setting that date.
Barış Terkoğlu summarized the assessment conveyed to him from İmamoğlu's inner circle as follows:
"There is no harm or problem in a mayor, a metropolitan mayor, meeting at the Presidency. However, there is a problem with the date and timing of this meeting."
Terkoğlu emphasized that in İmamoğlu's assessment, the view that "Mansur Yavaş is not responsible for this date being chosen in this way, or for this photo being taken on that date, but rather President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is responsible" stands out.
Terkoğlu spoke as follows:
"I called people who frequently visit Silivri, meet with Ekrem İmamoğlu, and are in his circle. I asked, 'What does Mr. Ekrem think about this photo?'"
"They said, 'He thinks two things': First, there is no harm or problem in a mayor, especially a metropolitan mayor, holding a meeting at the Presidency."
Ekrem İmamoğlu also says that during his tenure as Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, he tried to establish a dialogue with the Presidency from time to time regarding various projects and loans, especially metro projects. Therefore, he thinks there is no problem with this meeting itself.
Secondly, he states that there is a problem with the date and timing of the meeting; why? Because this meeting took place on September 9, 2026.
September 9 is the anniversary of the founding of the Republican People's Party (CHP). It is also a date celebrated by the new party that says, 'We also come from that root.' As you recall, receptions were held regarding this that day, and Anıtkabir was visited. The fact that Mansur Yavaş did not go to Anıtkabir and was not present at the reception also came to the agenda.
It is problematic that this meeting was held exactly on September 9. Because this date is symbolically important for both the CHP and CHP members. He thinks it is a date that should not have been squeezed into this photo.
Thirdly, he says that Mansur Yavaş is not responsible for this date being chosen and the photo being taken on that date, and that the responsibility lies with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Because Mansur Yavaş requests the appointment, but President Erdoğan determines the date of the meeting and says, 'Please come.' Therefore, Mansur Yavaş is not responsible for the meeting coinciding with September 9.
It is clear that Erdoğan had a strategy specifically to create this drawback, and this photo emerged.
When I asked, 'What does he think?' from Ekrem İmamoğlu's inner circle, the answer I received consists of these three points in summary."
News Source: 12punto
