01.05.2025 19:10
The Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, criticized CHP leader Özgür Özel through the discussions surrounding Kanal İstanbul. Kurum stated, "We say, 'We have drawn the lots for social housing.' Despite this, they are creating a perception that these houses will be sold to Arabs. My advice to Mr. Özgür is to remove the blindfold from his eyes instead of spreading such false accusations about me."
The Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, made statements at the ongoing construction of the Bakırcılar Bazaar in Malatya. Minister Kurum harshly criticized CHP Chairman Özgür Özel through the discussions surrounding Kanal Istanbul.
HARSH WORDS FROM MINISTER KURUM TO CHP LEADER ÖZEL
Minister Kurum stated that the claim that social housing would be sold to Arabs is not true, yet he argued that CHP leader Özel is creating a perception. Minister Kurum used the following expressions: "Rest assured, they are betraying the hard work of our brothers. Look, they will even dare to stop all these works here if they could, let alone being a part of the resurrection epic we wrote in the earthquake zone. However, what does our nation, our esteemed nation expect from politicians? To work, to produce, to serve, to maintain direction, to work patiently."
"THEY PLAYED WITH THE FEELINGS OF OUR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS"
It is to sincerely fight to meet the needs and demands of our citizens. Now I ask from Malatya, what has the opposition, which criticizes us so harshly, done in our Istanbul, the apple of the world's eye, constantly tested by earthquakes in the earthquake zone? Remember, they said they would build free housing in the earthquake zone. They exploited the feelings of our earthquake victim brothers by manipulating them.
"WHEREVER HE GOES, HE HAS US ON HIS TONGUE"
Wherever he goes, he has us on his tongue. Murat Kurum is still Murat Kurum. Do you know why? The places he receives orders from tell him to speak like this. He knows very well where he receives orders from. He knows that the 453 thousand housing units in the earthquake zone will be completed by the end of this year. Our citizens will find peace here. Our President is following this closely. We do not leave the earthquake zone alone for a moment, not even for a minute.
"HE DOESN'T SAY 'YOU CAN'T WORK' TO ME"
What does he say to me? He doesn't say you can't work. He doesn't say you can't do these things. He doesn't say you don't come to the earthquake zone every month. He doesn't say you don't listen to the citizens' problems one by one when you come to the earthquake zone. He can't say you can't be everyone's brother, everyone's child here. Have you heard any comment that you are not an expert in this regard? We haven't. Can they say you are not serving this nation? They can't.
"ONE OF TWO WORDS IS A LIE, BELIEVE ME"
What does he say? It's Kanal Istanbul, luxury residences in Arnavutköy. We are explaining. They are not listening. They do not take the explanations into account. They are always chasing a perception, always trying to shift the agenda to different areas. They think our nation does not see this struggle. One of two words is a lie, believe me. One of two words is a slander, believe me.
"THEY ENTER INTO A PERCEPTION AS IF THE HOUSES WILL BE SOLD TO ARABS"
We say we are building social housing, we explain, we say we have drawn lots for these houses, we are building those houses, yet despite our explanation, they enter into a perception as if these houses will be sold to Arabs. We built one and a half million houses, can you show me one that has been purchased by someone who is not a citizen of the Republic of Turkey from our social housing, from the houses we built with TOKİ? They can't show it, they can't show it.
"MR. ÖZGÜR SHOULD REMOVE THE BANDAGE FROM HIS EYES"
We will prepare Istanbul for the earthquake, despite saying that the earthquake in Istanbul is a matter of national security, as if there is no earthquake risk in Istanbul. First, you should sit down and digest your own chairmanship, convince the people, and then come and criticize us if we are doing something wrong or incomplete. My advice to Mr. Özgür is to remove the bandage from his eyes instead of slandering me with such false accusations, and take a look around.
"WE WILL FOCUS ON OUR WORK"
Maybe then he will see what is happening around him very well. Therefore, no matter what they say, we will focus on our work, we are concerned, we have promises to our nation, we will keep these promises, we will come to Malatya to keep these promises, we will open our shops together with our tradesmen, we will open our workplaces, and together with Malatya, we will look forward to a happy future, inshallah.
"A STRONG ISTANBUL MEANS A STRONG TURKEY"
As with every disaster, we are moving to the disaster area after the disaster. After the earthquake we experienced on April 23, we moved to Istanbul, and we provided our services in the national gardens. We started our work based on whatever needs there are. On the other hand, we initiated damage assessment studies. Damage assessment has been carried out for 425 thousand independent units. A strong Istanbul means a strong Turkey.
We stated that our citizens could participate in our campaign "Half is From Us" if they wished. We increased the support amounts in our Istanbul campaign. We raised the support from 1.5 million to 1 million 875 thousand lira. We are increasing our amounts for new workplaces to 1 million lira. We have ensured the construction of 50 thousand houses in 81 provinces. Let the opposition criticize. The number of social housing in Istanbul has reached 125 thousand. We see the earthquake issue as above politics and will continue to do so.
By the end of June or the beginning of July, our bazaars and housing will start to be delivered in stages. We are acting according to the majority's demand. We are working with the goal of delivering our housing and workplaces by the end of this year. We will be making a fair distribution."