Ekrem İmamoğlu: No administrator has the right to impose their own preferences on citizens

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) celebrated the liberation of Istanbul with events held at Üsküdar Square. İBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu attended the program alongside his wife, Dilek Kaya İmamoğlu.

“WE ALL BECAME ONE AND EQUAL THANKS TO THE REPUBLIC”

In his speech there, İmamoğlu stated the following;

“With the Republic, all of us—you, who have come from every corner of this country and homeland, you who have come from different parts of this geography and live in Istanbul—we all became one and equal thanks to the Republic. Together, we built a system based on the national will, democracy, and the rule of law. With the Republic, we gained a strong and national economy. We set out to establish a social state that considers it its duty to be the voice of the voiceless. With the Republic, women reached the status they deserve. With the Republic, we experienced a great leap forward in every field of life. More importantly, the Republic taught us that strong path we must follow to reach higher goals. It taught us that we have the right and the power to shape our future.”

“IT IS THE REPUBLIC THAT TAUGHT US THIS”

“The founders of the Republic, led by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, proved that we, this nation, possess everything needed to succeed in this journey. Do you know what the most correct way to express our gratitude to them is? It is to walk forward together on the same path, with the same courageous steps, and with the spirit of that day, just as they—Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades-in-arms—did. Since the moment we took office, we have been managing Istanbul with this understanding and this sentiment. We see this ancient city as a sacred trust. Regardless of their origin, faith, or thoughts, we feel love and respect for all Istanbulites living in this city. While managing Istanbul, we do not impose our own preferences and thoughts on anyone; on the contrary, we show respect for everyone's thoughts and way of life. Because no administrator has the right to impose their own preferences on citizens. We accept every individual of our nation as they are and love them as they are. This is what the Republic taught us and what it gave us.”

“YOU ARE THE EQUAL AND DIGNIFIED CITIZENS OF A MODERN, STRONG REPUBLIC”

“You are the equal and dignified citizens of a modern, strong Republic, each and every one of you. No power, no office can be above you. On this day of the liberation of Istanbul, I would like to share this with you. On the hundredth anniversary of the founding of our Republic, I remind you to realize your power, that each of you is an equal stakeholder in this city and this country, and that the owners of this city and this country are our 86 million citizens. I invite you to act with this knowledge and to protect hope together. Happy anniversary to our Istanbul, the trust of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han, and its liberation achieved through the powerful struggle for independence by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades-in-arms. Always be free, always be happy, Istanbul. Long live Istanbul. Long live the Republic. Happy hundredth anniversary.”

News Source: 12punto