İsmail Küçükkaya reacts to CHP and artists over concert fees

Expenditures made for concert events organized by municipalities on October 29 Republic Day have sparked reactions.

On October 29, Hadise performed in Istanbul, while Ebru Gündeş performed in Ankara.

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş announced that an investigation has been launched into allegations that '69 million TL was paid for the Ebru Gündeş concert on October 29 Republic Day.'

Journalist İsmail Küçükkaya, on the 'Yeni Bir Sabah' program he prepares and hosts on Halk TV, criticized the artists who received payment on October 29 Republic Day.

Küçükkaya also criticized the mayors who provided these funds, saying, 'I could be a mayor like that too.'

Küçükkaya's statements are as follows:

"As much as we rejoice in our artists exciting our people on Republic Day, we also express that this should be done without payment.

'IF IT WERE ME, I WOULDN'T TAKE THE MONEY'

"I wish I were an artist. I wish I had a beautiful voice, or like Ebru Gündeş, like Hadise, or if I had beautiful legs, a beautiful chest, for example. I would appear before millions like this, but I wouldn't take the money. One shouldn't take money. We should say, 'My fellow artists are struggling to make ends meet.'

Give the money to my orchestra, pay the people in lighting. Some of the money you set aside could go to our brilliant children studying in conservatories. There are young, brilliant ones who perform for 50 thousand Lira, do you know that? We have artists who are admired by thousands, tens of thousands of young people.

There are artists who cannot make their voices heard. No! That is the hard part of this job.

Tell me what the easy part is. You are going to celebrate Republic Day, you are a mayor. Tell me what the easy part is?

It is this: Who is available? Ebru Gündeş, come on. How much? '69 million lira', give it. What about Hadise? '10 million lira', give it.

Believe me, I counted, and they all revolve around a list of at most 20 people. Around 20 pop artists. This is easy, let's say I gave the money, 10 million TL. They went on stage for 1 night, for 2 hours, oh how nice, wonderful. I could be a mayor like that too. I really could. Let me quit this and do that if it's going to be done this way.

But I couldn't be a real mayor, for example. Anyway... This was one of the most discussed topics of the day."

The figures allegedly received by the artists are as follows;

Duman 4.5 million

Hadise 6 million

Bengü 3.5 million

Erol Evgin 2.5 million

Zülfü Livaneli 3.5 million

Sıla 3.5 million

Athena 4.5 million

Şevval Sam 3.5 million

News Source: 12punto