26.03.2025 13:52
President Erdoğan erupted in response to CHP Chairman Özgür Özel's interview with CNN International. Erdoğan said, "The CHP leader Özgür Özel has gone to complain about us to the world... Who do you think you are? What do you even matter? How can you dare to complain about the Minister of Treasury?"
The interview given to the world press by CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, following the transfer of İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was arrested as part of a corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), has sparked significant controversy.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reacted to Özel during the AK Party group meeting, stating, "The CHP leader Özgür Özel has gone to complain about us to the world. Who are you? What is your worth? How can you dare to complain about the Minister of Treasury?"
Highlights from President Erdoğan's statements are as follows;
Positions, titles, and honors are temporary. What truly matters is to serve our country, our nation, and all humanity with this awareness, to earn a lasting place in hearts. A party that has received the most favor from our nation in the history of the Republic, that has brought the most investment and works to our country, and that has provided unprecedented services to our nation in every field, deserves no less.
"THEIR HOSTILITIES TOWARDS US STEM FROM OUR DISRUPTION OF THE LOOTING CYCLE"
Since the first day we set out, as we have tried to strengthen our bond with the nation, some have been trying to sow discord among us. Some of these efforts stemmed from ideological obsessions. Over time, they realized that such concerns were unfounded, but they could not show the virtue of admitting, "We made a mistake." Some of the hostilities directed at us were due to those who exploit the country under various masks, stemming from our disruption of the looting cycle. For 23 years, we have faced the greatest backlash and hatred from these individuals.
"THEIR GRUDGE HAS NOT YET SUBSIDED"
Another truth is this: Sometimes they exploit Gazi Mustafa Kemal, sometimes the West, and sometimes the sensitivities of various segments of our nation regarding faith and origin; the grudge of these looters has not yet subsided. Those who harbor existential enmity towards Turkey and the Turkish nation have used both sides to their advantage. One of the reasons for the widespread and reckless execution of fifth column activities, including working to sink the Turkish economy, is the excessive number of rootless individuals who prioritize their own interests above all else.
"WE HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN, AND WE DO NOT FORGET THE ONES WHO HAVE LOST THEIR MINDS"
In the past 100 years, whatever gains we have achieved for this country and nation, we have succeeded despite their sabotage and treachery. Yes, we have spent all these years standing tall without collapsing, but we have never forgotten those who intended to create chaos with dark murders, those who shouted for a coup to prevent us from being elected as President, those who applauded FETÖ's treachery, those who hoped for the attacks of terrorist organizations on our borders and cities. Similarly, we have not forgotten those who call for international intervention whenever they are in trouble, those who, unable to achieve through political struggle, seek to collapse the economy, those who try to pit the nation against each other through faith, origin, political, and social differences, and those who even attempt to exploit a disaster like an earthquake for their delusions. In short, we have never forgotten, and we do not forget those who strive to defeat us through illegitimate means, those who are blinded enough to set the country and the nation on fire.
"THE BOOK OF CANNIBALISM HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN İBB"
Turkey has suddenly returned to the period of 1989-1994 in terms of municipalities. Our cities and the tens of millions of people living there see no work in the name of projects and services, and on top of that, they are insulted; they are humiliated for expecting services from those they voted for. The blame for burning buses, non-functioning escalators, and disrupted services is even placed on the voters, our Istanbulite brothers. It has become evident that the resources allocated to municipalities from the taxes our nation pays with great effort are being used for the personal ambitions and interests of some instead of projects and services. Especially regarding corruption, theft, and extortion in Istanbul's Metropolitan Municipality and some district municipalities, I must say, it seems they have written the book of cannibalism.
"THE BIG TURNIPS IN THE SACK HAVE NOT YET BEEN REVEALED"
The scale of the disgrace that has continued from the irregular diplomas to the millions of young people whose rights have been violated, and from the bribery and extortion that has spread throughout the city like an octopus, has come to light with the latest operation. From the millions of lira worth of vegetables and fruits supposedly transported by fuel tankers to the selling of the most private information of the people of Istanbul for a few million dollars, from thefts amounting to hundreds of billions of lira to the hired guns fed with the people's money in the press and social media, every kind of illegality and injustice exists. So much so that if you were to make a series about the corruption in the CHP-run municipalities of Istanbul, you would find more material than in Brazilian soap operas. Moreover, these are crimes obtained by security forces and the judiciary based on documents and information coming directly from within the CHP, before the big turnips in the sack have been revealed. When the big turnips in the sack are spilled out, they will not even have the face to look at their own close ones, let alone the nation.
"THEY ARE ANGRY NOT AT THE THIEVES, BUT AT THOSE WHO CATCH THEM"
With so much corruption, theft, bribery, and deceit in the air; the CHP administration, which never ceases to speak of rights, law, and justice, has chosen to turn to cheap politics instead of clarifying the allegations. The CHP administration, which cannot respond to any of the allegations made by the judiciary, has attempted to cover up the scandal by inciting people to take to the streets and create chaos in the country. Pay attention. They are angry not at the thieves, but at those who catch them. They defend not those who perform their duties, but those who are involved in corruption. They are trying to make the voters they have taken to the streets pay the price for the extortion and bribery system established by the mayors. By adopting the scandals caused by the marginal organizations they collaborate with, they are making the dangerous path they have taken even more inextricable. Even more, they are trying to turn the truth upside down by charging us, our person, our government, and our party for all of this.
"THOSE WHO FLOOD THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE WITH INFORMATION ARE CHP MEMBERS"
I want the entire nation to know and understand this truth. Those who commit corruption, those who take bribes, those who have diplomas obtained through dubious means and eat the rights of hundreds of thousands of young people are CHP members. Those who use some of this money for their political agendas and transfer some to their companies through the criminal organizations they have established are also CHP members. Those who line up to become informants both in the police and the prosecutor's office when the investigation begins are CHP members. As the investigation deepens, those who flood the prosecutor's office with new documents and information are CHP members. Those who are tired, exhausted, and fed up with the hired guns and troll armies used by the criminal organization in the media and social media are CHP members. Those who filed a complaint in court claiming there was fraud in the congress are CHP members. Those who go around telling about the schemes, the bribes taken, and the thefts are CHP members.
But the guilty party is the AK Party. Shame on them. For God's sake, where can we be in such an internal reckoning? Why are you attributing the judicial process that started because of your sharing conflict to us? Why are you dragging us into the competition of informants within your party?
"THIEVES HAVE TURNED ON EACH OTHER, THEIR PARTNERS HAVE BETRAYED EACH OTHER, AND THEY HAVE INFORMED THE POLICE AND JUDICIARY"
In the latest incident, just like in the movies, thieves have turned on each other, accomplices have betrayed each other, and they have gone to inform the police and judiciary. We are currently witnessing the aftershocks of this. Like everyone else, we expect our security forces and the judiciary to do their jobs, for the ongoing investigation to conclude, and for those found guilty by the courts to be punished. As the head of the executive, we certainly oversee that every institution performs its duties in the best possible way. As the "President of the Republic," we ensure that every step is taken to prevent the resources that our citizens have provided by sacrificing from being seized by three or five bandits. However, while doing this, we never exceed the powers, duties, and responsibilities granted to us by the Constitution.
"YOU CANNOT COVER UP THE FILTH"
From here, I remind the CHP leadership, especially the CHP Chairman who has completely lost balance: No matter how much you lower the level, it is in vain... The toothpaste has already come out of the tube. Even if it is due to the internal war in the CHP, your corruption wheel has been exposed. You cannot cover up the filth. Therefore, stop throwing mud around. Abandon the cunning of seeking support from us in the arm wrestling within your party. Stop terrorizing the streets with foul-mouthed degenerates. Do not try to drag us and our nation into the pit you have jumped into. If you have even a shred of respect for yourself, be a little honest, be transparent. Do not forget that you have responsibilities not only to the moneyed people to whom you owe your seats but also to the nation.
What has happened is beautifully expressed by a saying attributed to the famous Russian writer Solzhenitsyn: We know they are lying. They know they are lying. They know we know they are lying. We know they know we know they are lying. But still, they lie without shame or embarrassment. Yes, both the members of the criminal organization that has infiltrated the municipalities and the CHP leadership knowingly lie to the nation. Yes, they are acting and playing theater in front of the nation while knowing the truths. Yes, they are trying to deceive people while knowing the thefts that have been committed.
"DON'T THEY FEEL ASHAMED TO WITNESS THE SAME SCENES 20 YEARS LATER?"
CHP members, let’s say they do not take our words seriously due to political motives. Surely, they would have no objection to the observations made by Deniz Baykal, one of the late former Chairmen of the CHP, in his speech at the Extraordinary Congress in 2005, which almost describes the recent events. What does the late Baykal say: "Honesty in politics." "First morality." "Fear of what is lawful and unlawful." "You will oppose the law, you will oppose morality, you will oppose rights, you will oppose the rights of orphans; is this the way of every brave man?" he says. "There will be no more scandals like ISKI in the CHP," he says. "I will be the prosecutor against corruption, I will be the police," he says. "You cannot silence the truths with noise," he says. "It is impossible to carry a mayor who is this deeply involved in mud," he says. "I do not know who you can arrange with that money, but you cannot arrange the CHP," he says. "They sent a bribe bag full of money to our High Disciplinary Board member," he says. In short, he says a lot… To whom does he say it? To some of the CHP members who are still in politics. Who is he saying all this to? He is saying it to the CHP members. So, after all the scandals that have come to light, do the CHP executives not take Mr. Baykal's words to heart at all today? Don't they feel ashamed to witness the same scenes 20 years later? What a pity… Truly, what a pity…
"WHO ARE YOU, WHAT IS YOUR WEIGHT?"
The deplorable state that Turkey's main opposition party has fallen into saddens and angers us. Look at the state of affairs, they are complaining about all media groups one by one by name. They are complaining about us to the world. They are complaining about my Minister of Treasury and Finance in the same way. Who are you? First of all, what is your weight? How can you dare to complain about my Minister? More than that, they gather these marginal groups in Şehzadebaşı and practically demolish the cemetery next to Şehzadebaşı Mosque. Hey Özgür Özel, surely one day they will prepare your grave in this way too, and someone will either dig it up or destroy it. What kind of business is this? What benefit is there in demolishing these cemeteries? By what right and how are you doing this? They are all history, all magnificent works as artifacts, and unfortunately, these immoral, shameless people come there and destroy them. It is not possible to accept this. History lies there. Attempting to destroy these historical artifacts in this way is not something that can be swallowed. Therefore, we are currently pursuing this matter with our judiciary, and by identifying those who participated in these actions, we will also pursue those masked terrorists.
The fact that Turkey's main opposition party has become a toy of marginal left organizations, foul-mouthed types who insult the nation, and bandits who plunder municipalities truly disturbs us. The CHP chairman's support for those who throw stones at the police, throw Molotov cocktails, attack with axes, and disrespect our ancestral mosques offends us just like it does our nation. Now they have come out and are making statements of remorse regarding the cowardice that occurred in Istanbul on Monday night. They are trying to distance themselves from the foul-mouthed individuals through wordplay, verbal gymnastics, and moralizing on social media.
Today, I must ask these political merchants: But, until yesterday, were you not the ones who seated those who insulted the nation in the front row of the protocol? Before the elections on May 14-28, were you not the ones who glorified foul-mouthed types? Were you not the ones who defended the vandals who attacked our people participating in the support rally for Palestine? During the Gezi events, were you not the ones who referred to the looters as "flower children"? Were you not the ones who presented bank robbers as role models to young people for years? Were you not the ones who embraced those who praised the murderers of our prosecutor Mehmet Selim Kiraz? Were you not the ones who threatened our judiciary members in front of 85 million, along with their children and families? Were you not the ones who insulted our partner in the People's Alliance and his esteemed chairman? Were you not the ones who brought marginal types who are at odds with the nation's beliefs, values, and culture to decision-making bodies in your party? Were you not the ones who allowed those who could say that everyone who votes for the AK Party should be exterminated to act as mentors?
"THE BIGGEST REASON FOR THE COWARDICE THAT OCCURRED IS THE EXHAUSTION OF THE CHP MANAGEMENT"
Excuse me… You prepared the dishonor that occurred on Monday night with your poisonous tongue.
You have given a platform to those who insult the nation, simply because they are against the AK Party. You have introduced hate speech into politics. For years, you have pitted the individuals of this nation against each other. Today, you have normalized the evil that you supposedly find disturbing. As the CHP administration, under the pretext of "we are doing politics," you have legitimized and spread this evil for years. I must state this clearly and unequivocally: The disgrace that occurred on Monday evening is a result of the hate politics that the CHP administration has persistently and stubbornly pursued. They cannot escape from this; they cannot separate themselves from it. The biggest reason for this baseness is the exhaustion of the CHP administration.