Ekrem İmamoğlu makes new comments regarding Burcu Köksal's statements

Ekrem İmamoğlu's statements are as follows:

"THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE SPOKE AS IF WRITING AN INDICTMENT"

"There is a subject, you ask about it. This is an attack based on labeling and smearing. An attempt was made saying, 'We found something, how can we harm Ekrem?' It has nothing to do with Ekrem İmamoğlu or the IMM. Of course, a job shouldn't have been like that. According to what is told, there is a title deed transaction made that day. There is a down payment process made in the transaction. That place is a lawyer's office. There is the issue of the lawyer serving this. The Minister of Justice came out and spoke as if he were writing an indictment.

In these matters, the Minister of Justice speaks last. Without taking a break for a few hours, thank you to him, he wrote the indictment. There is an incident there before the title deed transaction. It is flawed and incomplete in terms of procedure. At the end of the day, I am at this point of the matter: let's cast a stain on Ekrem İmamoğlu within a total attack order. The provincial head also just learned about the process. It probably won't end here. They are casting a stain. A lawsuit has been filed against us, we are waiting. It is lying in the appellate court, let's see, hopefully for the best.

"I AM EXPERIENCING THE MOST MORALE-BOOSTING FIELD"

Since I entered politics, I have observed 15 elections. This is my 4th election as my own election. On my own behalf, I can say this: it is the most positive field I have seen in my 4 elections.

Our citizens, despite all the evils, despite canceling the election. They said he stole, there is no one who stole. They said thief, there is no thief. They said terrorist, there is not a single one. Despite this, the election was canceled. We experienced another election that went down in democratic history. This election is the most positive field among my 4 elections. I am experiencing the field that gives me the most morale. I enter the markets very spontaneously. I tell my friends, 'Even the district head, even the candidate should not know about the districts we will go to'. We suddenly enter a market from a side street.

We start walking to one side. My market visits take 1-1.5 hours. Thank God, it is the most organic exam place. I am very proud. We have made our nation feel beautiful things. It makes me feel that my responsibility for the next stage is greater. I am ready for that too.

"IT IS NOT A VERY BAD ENVIRONMENT"

Polemics are the sauce of every election. The important thing is that the polemic is at a reasonable level. Even though there are meaningless, hurtful, unnecessary things, in general, it is not a very bad environment for me. We are currently making our thematic presentations.

Today we did it regarding transportation. In this election, we are putting forward a process that presents projects or preparations related to all issues that will be the pioneer of the next 5 years and even the following years. Frankly, it is also a pleasure for us that our closest rival reads our projects. Our projects are so populist, for the people, in a status and flow for their needs, that they even forgot their basic projects. For example, they cannot even mention Kanalistanbul.

You would think that they have forgotten it entirely. Besides the ambitious statements of 'we will do it' until yesterday, they forgot in this election. They also forgot in the general election. We explained that this business is heading towards a tragic end for Istanbul. The public already didn't know what Kanalistanbul was, they learned. Over 70 percent of our people said, 'No brother, I am against the Kanalistanbul business'. Now they cannot even take the name into their mouths. The most vague, most mediocre descriptions that are not on the nation's agenda. Every project is clear.

There is no such thing as made-up. I will build 650 thousand houses, etc. The concepts that you have not been able to do until today, and that you have not even come close to, are not projects anyway. Reasonable projects are already our statements."

"WE ARE WAITING FOR THE PRESIDENT'S SIGNATURE"

Every project is clear. There is no such thing as made-up. I will build 650 thousand houses, etc. The concepts that you have not been able to do until today, and that you have not even come close to, are not projects anyway. Reasonable projects are already our statements. We have put into action a large part of the projects we mentioned. I was saying around 80 percent, but. We were targeting 150 nurseries, we finished 100 of them. 50 are continuing. We set a target of 200. I do not include these in the concept of 'we did it incompletely'.

Mother card, public milk, all of our many projects. Truly 20 percent, 15 percent of the jobs we said have not been able to start, there are obstacles. We found the money, Sefaköy-Beylikdüzü metro line. We went to tender 18 months ago. 550 million Euros. We found the fund. We have a protocol with the French Development Bank in Europe, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. It's a pity, it's a shame, it's a sin. 10-12 year loans. After we take it, which is close to 1 billion Euros.

Approval has come out from the ministry, it is waiting just because it has not been included in the investment plan with the President's signature. That is one of the things that saddens me the most. This is what saddens me the most. Its name is being included in the investment plan. The moment it is included in the plan, your authority to throw it to the financial institution abroad is formed.

It is not a guarantor for us, it is not Treasury guarantee or anything. In the north, on the TEM Highway, in the second section, there is a second linear structuring. D-100 highway, it is sad that TEM has also turned into a street. This is a problem related to dense, irregular urban development or inability to urbanize. We had done a study as soon as we took office, saying we would do this job. 1-1.5 years later, the studies put the most important project of the era, called Hızray, in front of us. Hızray is currently a tremendously fast train that connects Sabiha Gökçen-Beylikdüzü, includes the TEM region, reaches 170 km speed in 55 minutes, and has 13 metro stops. A train carrying 1.5 million. This exists in London, it exists in Paris.

It is being built in Moscow in the same way. The presentation of the Hızray project was made to the ministry and it was very well received. We showcased it to Japan, Germany, France, and England.

The most mega work in history in terms of Istanbul. We have now started the 'park and continue' process. It is not at the capacity we want, but is it there? Yes. We built more than 50 thousand parking spaces. After we took over the metropolitan municipality, thousands of parking contracts operated by İSPARK were canceled by district municipalities. Most of the businesses were transferred to district municipalities.

Contracts belonging to some state institutions on this subject were also canceled. We were subjected to strange treatment in this area, as in public banks, but we will overcome them all, we will teach. We have marriage support. Almost in every district, many people benefited from our marriage support. We significantly increased that support. We announced the 30 thousand lira support project. Although it had been given to municipalities before, we wanted to open a medical center in Esenyurt, the Ministry of Health did not give approval. In fact, our application was not even answered in one or two places.

"100 THOUSAND HOUSES IS COMPLETELY MADE UP"

We do not have a promise of 100 thousand houses. 100 thousand houses is completely made up. The 100 thousand houses issue was quoted from the speech I made in the Parliament. In a spirit of mobilization, very quickly, I am talking about the ministry visit to Mr. Kurum in the speech. I think we need to ensure the strengthening of 100 thousand houses in Istanbul. They took this, 100 thousand houses, 100 thousand houses. We have a promise of 10 thousand houses. Every job we said, we either succeeded or we are continuing.

Those who have no trouble in Istanbul say 'we built this many houses', but they have no such success in life. He promised 650 thousand houses, right, the candidate? I saw it in a broadcast, the Esenler Mayor said 'why are they surprised, it can be done'.

He said 650 thousand can be done. Do you know how much work TOKİ does in Istanbul? 61 thousand houses completed in 2002-2023. The number of houses TOKİ built in Istanbul in 5 years is 8 thousand 500. Its annual performance in 5 years is 2800. District municipalities are theirs, the government is theirs.

"IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO BUILD 650 THOUSAND HOUSES"

This is its annual performance. What you call 650 thousand houses, Turkey's household average is 3-something people. When you multiply, it is over 2 million people. Over 2 million people will come to Istanbul, live, or increase. I say it is really made up, a system that completely plays on people's perception. The class of 650 thousand houses is important. Will you strengthen it, will you demolish and rebuild it, will you build houses in reserve areas? I am a person who has been involved in the demands of those people for nearly 30 years, since I was born.

The design of what you call mobilization is 2 years. 100 thousand houses is a big move. For 5 years. It is a serious job. What I am talking about is the issue of people struggling in the earthquake within the city gaining improved structures. Otherwise, open the military area, build luxury houses, if you sell it, you sell it, if it doesn't sell, let it stand.

He declares an empty military area a risky area, declares meaningless places as risky areas. Slum areas are already transformed through the construction mechanism. The Ministry of Urbanization could not pass its exam well. TOKİ could not pass it well. We did our best.

"THERE IS A PLAN AND TITLE DEED PROBLEM"

You cannot handle the fight against earthquakes only as urban transformation. Improving viaducts, doing the infrastructure of İSKİ and İGDAŞ, and improving pedestrian crossings are important parts of your fight against earthquakes. There are micro-zoning studies that have been done in Istanbul for years.

Programming Istanbul both structurally and regarding the ground. This is actually the basis of the most important data in the fight against earthquakes in Istanbul. Istanbul has a serious plan and title deed problem. If there is no plan, you cannot demolish, if there is no title deed, you cannot do anything. We became the administration that brought a solution to the title deed problem in Istanbul.

"WE MADE THE PLAN PROCESSES IN AN INTEGRATED MANNER"

We finished the master zoning plans of more than 90 regions. We achieved success in the regional plan in all 39 districts. We passed it unanimously. It is a great skill to pass these. We did it with transparency. We included the people of the neighborhood, the headmen in the business. We made the plan processes in an integrated manner. In the history of IMM, this many regional plans could not be passed within 5 years. You have a 5-story building. But the new plan shows 3 floors.

2 floors are gone. You don't have a problem with the ground either. But you were victimized while the plan was passing. I am experiencing this as a complaint. Then let's give people this right.

It has a plan, it has a license, he built the building, he will demolish and rebuild. We ensured that this right is given to people in all 39 districts. This ensures mobilization. We passed the plan in critical districts like Avcılar. In Avcılar, 16-17 thousand houses entered urban transformation and renewed their buildings.

"IMM BELONGS TO THE NATION"

I said it to Mr. Kurum's face. I went to Mr. Özhaseki. Mr. Kurum couldn't even take a step. Mr. Özhaseki also said 'okay'. I even said this, 'We must urgently establish a business that we can call a council, institution, presidency that will implement an integrated mobilization in Istanbul,' I said. Opposite your military area, there is Bağcılar, Gaziosmanpaşa, Esenler. Go to its background, there is Zeytinburnu. You gave this place to Esenler. This cannot be.

Let a presidency be established, let everyone be in it, you manage it, I said to the Ministry. The insurance issue has become a matter of debate in the fight against earthquakes. We made such a proposal to him. Mr. Kurum only listened. Mr. Özhaseki welcomed it enthusiastically. 'We can walk on this business,' he said. We also said to him, 'We would be pleased, we will also be involved in the business.' Then a draft came out without our knowledge, it went to the Parliament and was approved.

The number of houses delivered to the right holders in the 1st year of the earthquake is 46 thousand. The President had promised 319 thousand. I wish 319 thousand were built, I would be happy. If we manage this issue over numbers in Turkey, it won't work. If a mentality system is established, we can manage the issue. The biggest problem is unauthorized authorities. Whose is IMM? The nation's. The issue becomes 'let Ekrem İmamoğlu not do it, let him do it'. I will distribute the keys of 1300 houses in Beylikdüzü. It has been exactly 9 years.

"WE HAVE A MAJORITY IN THE PARLIAMENT"

Fatih Municipality is one of the municipalities we work with most harmoniously, where technical friends solve everything at the table. There are also issues we discuss. The Tuzla Mayor tried to sabotage our groundbreaking. The Tuzla Mayor, the nation has elected, I respect him.

He has wasted his last 5 years by trying to see if I can get somewhere by fighting with Ekrem İmamoğlu. We have a majority in the Parliament, we have our cultural center in our district of IMM. We resisted not to give it by majority vote. There are nearly 100 such places. 'Then come and take our building in Saraçhane too,' I mean. The issue of quality and quantity is important.

Do you know that there is a year when borrowing is zero in IMM? There are very few municipalities in Turkey that manage their business without borrowing in the budget. The acceptance of the budget does not mean the municipality's borrowing. In some years, they gave 20 percent of the borrowing accepted in the budget, in some years 30, in some years 0 borrowing. Despite that, we managed the city's budget and achieved these things.

"HIGH INFLATION RUINED US"

We are completing 12 thousand houses at 16 different points. We are reaching 12 thousand houses. We finished 2200 social houses. It was actually going very successfully. Lower than the minimum wage and making people homeowners with a fixed rate. The structures in Tuzla are like that. We did it in İzmit, we did it in Silivri. Unfortunately, the country's high inflation ruined us.

We could no longer announce fixed installments. We are the institution that builds social housing for the first time as an institution with fixed installments. Do you know how the people we give social housing to pray for us? Then high inflation. When it was like this, we experienced such a difficulty in developing a status with the contractor firms. If the economy could normalize a little, we would open an era in social housing.

"WE LAID THE FOUNDATION OF 1250 HOUSES THIS MONTH"

Even within this month, we laid the foundation of 1250 more houses. We will produce reserve houses. We are continuing the construction of 5951 houses. Many important works we have done in this period. In the issue of not including us at the table, we seem to be including it. We participate, but with our insistence, in the end, we are not there. I am not saying that Ekrem İmamoğlu described something from A to Z and it is all true.

Not all of it can be true, of course. The Earthquake Council, the Earthquake Presidency, the process I mentioned regarding Istanbul needs to be unique. I don't turn around and tell the ministry you are responsible; I say you can't solve it.

This business is solved totally. If 150 thousand buildings are risky in Istanbul. Since the 99 earthquake, a lot of work has been done. Mistakes were also made. We need to turn this business to another page. The unique page I am telling is that.

"THEY DID NOT EVEN GIVE THE FUND THAT CAME FROM THE WORLD BANK"

My father-in-law's house is in Üsküdar. 'You will move, this building is problematic,' I said. There are 20-something apartments in that building. Their reconciliation took 3.5-4 years. What did we do? We announced the Istanbul Renewing program through KİPTAŞ. So that if there is an incompatibility, let's touch it. We collected demands from every point of Istanbul. We are ready to start at the point that concerns people. A little support for financing. Banks do not work with KİPTAŞ. İller Bank helps municipalities. A fund came here from the World Bank. They still haven't lifted it. It writes the provinces.

We demanded this, they did not give it to us. İller Bank was given 946 million 554 thousand dollars in total between 2009-2019. 677 million 458 thousand dollars were given from public banks. A total of 1 billion 624 million dollars were given. How much was given to us; zero. They did not even give the fund that came from the World Bank. 2019-2024 İller Bank's source is largely money cut from the municipalities' allowance.

6 billion was cut from us. Despite this, zero. A public bank gives 750 million lira to an illegitimate man for a faulty crime without a guarantor. KİPTAŞ, Turkey's most reputable urban planning company, does not give 1 lira of credit. Where will we use that credit? In renewing your house. If someone cannot agree on their buildings on the street, does KİPTAŞ intervene, I said you will do this. Istanbul is renewing. It was incredibly popular. People are in a queue, in line. This makes me so happy.

"A GREAT PUBLIC LOSS"

There is a dam strengthening issue in 5 years. There is the issue of strengthening Pabuçdere, Kazandere, Terkos, Elmalı dams. The Melen disgrace is being experienced in this country. Melen was going to be finished in 2016. The former Minister of Agriculture and Forestry announced that we will open it at this hour of December. Right now there is a grave in the middle. There is a dam, the body is cracked. They don't know what to do.

Even the President learned from me that it was cracked. The election is over. I said what is the state of Melen. First they tried not to let us in. We went, we are the owner of the goods. The dam has cracked as much as I can put my body in. Wrong project. Wrong static. Ground applications were not done. Now a solution cannot be found, it is trash. The contractor firm says 'this project is wrong, it could not be done'.

DSİ said 'no you will do it, this is the truth'. At the end of the day, there is trash there. Believe me, that misery is right now. They cannot even take it into their mouths, just like Kanalistanbul. Believe me, 20 billion of ours went to trash. The story of Melen goes back to 1989. It both protects a tremendous basin there. We are continuing basin investments there. We are continuing İSKİ investments. İSKİ does the collection of the field's waste waters, DSİ does the dam, transfers it to İSKİ. It has such a great loss. A great public loss. Not a sound.

"PLANNED TRANSFORMATION WILL START IN 125 THOUSAND HOUSES"

It has the oldest line of Istanbul, the M1 line. We are strengthening it. Between 2024-2029, we will transform exactly 22 thousand houses in the place where we have reached 2/3 reconciliation. The address, the apartment is clear. KİPTAŞ will do it. We started Karanfilköy, which has been unresolved for years. Planned transformation will start in 125 thousand houses in 10 priority areas. We will do our work quickly in the next parliamentary term. I am asking for votes as Ekrem İmamoğlu. But we also want them to strengthen in the parliament. We will pave the way for transformation in 125 thousand houses.

"WE ARE THE FIRST MUNICIPALITY TO GIVE RENT SUPPORT"

Within the scope of Istanbul Renewing, we will cover 60 percent of the construction costs of 50 thousand risky houses. For our low-income citizens. I listened to the presentations of all financing conditions. He wants to transform with a single retiree salary, but he cannot transform, we will also cover 65 percent of that. We will cover 65 percent for the retiree who enters transformation. We are the first municipality to give rent support. We increased it to 7 thousand 500 liras.

It is a separate tragic issue that that salary is deemed appropriate for retirees. We give rent support to the retiree for 9 thousand liras. He gets 4 thousand 500 liras from the state. Actually, we are supporting the ministry's work. The mobilization I described is this. The retiree issue is very important.

The retiree had a very nice word last time, 'When I was working, I built 5 houses for my 5 children. Now I have retired, the state made me dependent on my 5 children,' he said. This is a very heavy thing for this father. I am a family whose business life has been related to these things for three generations. In the 70s-80s, even in the 90s when I was involved, people would come to my father and bargain, 'Hasan brother, we will buy a house but we have a retirement bonus, if we pay that day, can we take this money from you?' With the retirement bonus.

"WE FINISHED 22 SQUARES"

The place you call Baltalimanı was a garbage dump. Tuzla Hacetdere is miserable. I am a project person. If something is to be done somewhere, I go first. The districts I go to most in Istanbul are 50 times. We finished 22 squares. See Beyazıt square, Sarayburnu, Mimar Sinan square, Beşiktaş, Bakırköy.

We set aside space for a square in the middle of Bakırköy. The district governor also showed understanding for this business, the governor also said yes. Maltepe square, we will open it. 30 thousand square meters, tremendous. We took the minibus road underground, we brought out a square on top.

We had a square built that is as lively as Taksim square, which even the tradesmen could not imagine. All these areas are the issue of improving the city. 80 percent of Baltalimanı was occupied. We struggled for 6 months until we removed the occupiers. We finished Ayamama. We came to D-100. We will go to Küçükçekmece. The place where the stream in the Ayazma branch is turned into housing in the years before this. We will take that stream down by opening a tunnel underground so that those places are not flooded.

"WHY HAS IT NOT BEEN DONE SINCE 2016"

125.1 kilometers had been built before us, in 25 years. There is one that started in Mr. Dalan's period and finished in Mr. Sözen's period. We tendered the Eyüpsultan-Bayrampaşa line this week. The construction site entered. Let's say, we will win again with God's permission. Let's say someone else came. Now, 'I did the tender,' would that be? When we took over in 2019, there was no work in all 10 metro lines.

We sat in the seat on July 1st. If continuity in the state is essential, there would be construction sites running loudly. It was stopping. Mahmutbey-Esenyurt 0 percent. It reached 40 percent level. For example, Çekmeköy-Sancaktepe-Sultanbeyli, which we will open this weekend. We finished 6.5 kilometers of it.

The construction site you call 4 percent has been established. Why couldn't it be done since 2016? There is no financing, no source. Dudullu-Bostancı is a tragic situation. 58 percent finished. International financial institutions could not give money there. We started this with our own resources and finished it.

"WE BUILT 10 METROS IN THIS PERIOD"

He hasn't studied his lesson at all. He has nothing to do with Istanbul. We took over Ataköy-İkitelli, we finished 100 percent of it. Ms. Pelin is an associate professor. She came from Japan. Together with Mr. Orhan. 'Mr. Mayor, we are in a difficult situation, the construction sites have stopped,' they said. The concrete was not poured in some tunnels. We mobilized the firms at 40 points quickly.

Pendik-Kaynarca-Tuzla line, not even a construction site has been established. It only has a tender. We started it. It reached 70 percent. We are opening it within this year. We are opening up to Sultanbeyli-Samandıra. We provided 1.6 billion Euros of financing for metros within 10 years. We built 10 metros in this period.

An exchange rate that increased by 500 percent, inflation, TEFE, TÜFE difference. Just the cost of the exchange rate to us was 70 billion liras. Pandemic, exchange rate increase, inflation, interest. Nothing from the state for 1 lira, he achieved these things. The issue of rights and law. You have come out and are taking 8 steps.

I explained it in the metro issue. We have a future projection. We want this city to reach 650 kilometers. Gayrettepe-Istanbul Airport opened, right? Halkalı-Istanbul Airport is being built. The cost of both is 3.5 billion Euros. We made openings in 6 of the 10 metros, the money we spent is obvious.

We provided the breathing in the city. Not ridiculous fields like Fikirtepe, not Kanalistanbul. I can tell you the 6-7 hour metro adventure. Come and see the technology center we will open at the metro station in Ataköy tomorrow. We are opening a city restaurant at two stations. The candidate of this city has not grasped the importance of the city restaurant.

BURCU KÖKSAL EVALUATION FROM İMAMOĞLU

I stated my opinion. It is not a judgment. I don't have such a right, it is not my place. Ms. Burcu said two days later, 'my words were misunderstood, of course my door is open to everyone'.

Of course, there is a mission we represent. We take everyone's feelings, we observe. The word you say and the action you take binds Istanbul. What you do in Istanbul binds Turkey.

Mr. Yavaş said, 'whether you like them or not, your door is open to every citizen'. I said, 'a municipality is not the right to like or dislike a citizen'. It is not in the authority of the mayor to close or open the door. It is like that in the law too.

The culture of the Parliament established by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is also like this. Çanakkale, the War of Independence, our struggle for independence are also whole with the same concepts. Someone already wants to separate our 86 million people. We don't do this, we shouldn't. We are in a period when this country needs unity, togetherness, and brotherhood. We have to be the cement of it. Mine is an opinion, thank God Ms. Burcu said two days later that her expression was not like that.

"WE HAD INVITATIONS TO KILIÇDAROĞLU, HE DID NOT ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS"

I was the first to voice the concept related to the congress process, or rather the change. At the end of the day, everyone had an effect, an influence, and a decision was made. My gratitude and respect for my previous term general chairman are at the highest level, they never decrease. We had invitations to him, in the form of a protocol. I invited him. He did not attend those meetings. But I believe that we will meet when necessary.

I am sure that the thing Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu wants most right now is for me to win Istanbul. Of course, Mr. Akşener has made a political decision, I have not commented on that subject, nor will I comment. I did not go on a single television for 190 days. I have been serving in this party for 15 years. I have 2 principles.

I have never talked about any intra-party issue in the public sphere, I have not let it be talked about, and I will not let it be talked about. They confuse this with zoom. That was a private conversation. Secondly, in my politics during the CHP process, I strive to be the best party member, the most hardworking CHP member. I have a promise to my father, my wife, my family, I do not do partisanship, I do not do party politics, I am a person who believes that my party is a tool for service, for my country, for my city, for my people. Today, I defend the process above parties in the strongest way.

"WE HAVE BIG DREAMS FOR ISTANBUL"

We do not have a plan regarding losing. When going to a match, I never went to a match with any feeling of 'what if I lose this match' in my sports life. I didn't look at it like that in politics either. I didn't think about what I would be if I lost, what I would be if I won.

When entering the IMM election, my little son asked, 'Well father, what will you do if you lose?' I said, 'I will wrestle with you.' He said, 'That sounds like a good thing.'

District by district, neighborhood by neighborhood, project by project, from the valley of life to metros, from city restaurants, I can tell you every detail of where and when. Since my childhood, I go to bed with my work, I wake up with my work. We have big dreams for Istanbul. Istanbul has entered a very beautiful path. We have the power to protect all the details that need to be protected. We will continue to distribute our nation's money to our nation.

News Source: 12punto