İmamoğlu addressed Bahçeli, who rejected his appointment request: "I will persistently continue to go."

The Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), Ekrem İmamoğlu, addressed MHP General Chairman Devlet Bahçeli, who rejected his request for an appointment regarding the 'trustee' agenda, without naming him, saying, "I will persistently continue to go to those who cannot meet and do not accept the inability to meet as an exploitation. No one has a chance to escape from our insistence and goodwill."

IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu made statements at the opening of "Brand Week Istanbul 2024," where business people, brands, and sector representatives gathered.

"I FIND IT IMPORTANT TO RAISE MY VOICE AGAINST INTERVENTIONIST ATTITUDES"

In his speech, İmamoğlu referred to the trustee appointments, stating, "In this difficult turning point of history, it is more important than ever to correct the wrongs in our country, to protect our cities and nature, and to uphold our democracy. Therefore, I consider myself responsible in these matters. I find it important to raise my voice against the interventionist attitudes that are anti-democratic, especially the unjust and unlawful trustee appointments being implemented in our country," he said.

"DEMOCRACY CANNOT BE LEFT TO THE ARBITRARINESS OF POWER"

İmamoğlu continued his remarks as follows: "Democracy cannot be left to the arbitrariness of powers in a country. This country has been fighting for democracy for 200 years. There is a magnificent republic story for 101 years, with its difficulties, mistakes, and shortcomings... From this perspective, if a municipality is to be dismissed, it must be based on a decision made by an independent judiciary."

"I WILL CONTINUE TO PERSISTENTLY GO"

Addressing MHP General Chairman Devlet Bahçeli, who rejected the appointment request without naming him, İmamoğlu said, "For this reason, I am taking the initiative as the President of the Union of Turkish Municipalities. I am personally meeting with the leaders of the parties in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. I will continue to meet. I will persistently go to those who cannot meet and do not accept the inability to meet as an exploitation. No one has a chance to escape from our insistence and goodwill. Because I know that the people and the economy will suffer for many years due to the illegal and anti-democratic pursuits of the powers. Powers that act with the understanding of 'what I say goes, not the people's' will find every right in themselves if they do not face a strong democratic reaction. This is what is happening in Turkey today. We will never give this opportunity. Otherwise, all the contemporary technical and scientific elements we define for the future will become obsolete," he stated.

WHAT DID BAHÇELİ SAY?

MHP General Chairman Devlet Bahçeli announced that he would not meet with Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who requested an appointment from him in his capacity as the President of the Union of Turkish Municipalities.

Bahçeli stated, "I do not know for what purpose he requested it. I do not find it appropriate to meet because I do not approve of his politics. They may want to involve the MHP with exploitation and misinterpretations. We must be more careful," he had said.