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The foundation of IETT's 19th garage was laid in a ceremony. Speaking at the ceremony, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu reminded the loans related to bus purchases awaiting Treasury approval and said, "Sign them. Let us focus on our work. Let's compete in goodness, let's compete in better service. Let's not waste time. These are time-wasting matters. Preventing the signature is the problem." The foundation of the IETT Başakşehir Garage, which will cost approximately 340 million TL and will be put into service in July 2025, was laid in a ceremony. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, CHP Party Council members Mahir Yüksel and Turgay Özcan, CHP Istanbul Deputy Zeynel Emre, Avcılar Mayor Utku Caner Çaykara, Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, Küçükçekmece Mayor Kemal Çebi, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Can Akın Çağlar and IETT General Manager İrfan Demet attended the ceremony. İmamoğlu and Demet made speeches at the ceremony. İmamoğlu said the following: "One of the most important issues in metropolitan cities is the steps and investments they take regarding comfortable and quality living for people. I think we have had a very successful period in this regard in the past 5 years. We have done important work and realized metro constructions at a record level. Of course, we have also implemented an effective 5 years with the investments we have made in both land and sea transportation. Of course, while doing all these for 5 years and implementing them, we should not forget our difficulties. Both the pandemic period and unfortunately the never-ending economic problems, crises, some problematic thresholds in terms of national and international finance, and especially high costs... Despite experiencing some difficulties, these strong steps we have taken indicate how important they are." "5 MILLION JOURNEYS ARE MADE DAILY"One of the important issues regarding transportation in Istanbul is the bus issue, and especially Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is at the forefront in terms of bus transportation in mass transportation, unlike any other city in the world. Istanbulites make a lot of journeys by bus. For example, when you look at some European cities in Istanbul, our people make 2-2.5 times more journeys. Of course, the hero of all these journeys is IETT. Our ancient institution, IETT, which has a history of 153 years, actually fulfills a great duty in Istanbul's public transportation. It leaves its mark on a full five million journeys every day.  It is very valuable for us to have gained 785 new vehicles for IETT in 5 years. And while managing the process related to these vehicles, there are some elements to be able to provide service at the highest level of benefit, as well as savings and quality at the highest level. That is why it is important to build a well-equipped garage in this 44,000 square meter area today, which will prepare a significant number of vehicles, around 260 vehicles, for service at the same time. The importance of the issue is as follows; we are bringing the garages together at a certain point at the highest level so that we will add two more garages to our new two garages. "ALL BUSES NOW SERVE UNDER ONE ROOF"Previously, there was a class called private public buses alongside IETT buses. By eliminating this class, we have been able to serve under one roof and especially by eliminating the meaningless and illogical competition within the private public bus companies, we have eliminated some problems such as a lot of earning lines, lines that do not earn at all, or lines with high complaints, and started a very careful period by charging per kilometer. Of course, in the past, an excuse was put forward; 'it is not our bus, it is the bus of private public buses.' So if the air conditioning doesn't work. It is their problem or if there is another problem... We preferred not to say that. Our preference is this; after all, it is our responsibility under the control and supervision of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and IETT. Yes, there are some shortcomings, some problems in their operations. But we have not been a management that avoids these problems, and we will not be. We solve the problem in a civilized way, and then we say that please be our eyes, our language, our attitude when we see our employees, our drivers in IETT, and now we have female captains, I say to each of them please be our eyes, our language, our attitude. You are already smiling and you are good at your job. I know it is a difficult task to drive for hours during the day, but you have taken on this responsibility. Then please be a representative of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, representing 100,000 people, and behave well, we share our recommendations with our friends. And I say that I trust all of them very much, I say it again from here. "OLYMPICS ARE A GREAT SHOWCASE"Tomorrow, I will attend some trainings, seminars, and briefings about the processes of the cities that are candidates for the 2036 Olympic Games, especially due to our claim for the 2036 Olympic Games, as I will attend the opening of the Olympic Games. The 2036 Olympics is not just a sports festival, it is a goal, a vision. You can put that vision as environmentally friendly, as Istanbul's green solution, especially from clean energy to zero carbon emissions, and increasing green areas, building subways, and so on. Because when you think of the Olympics, do you know what comes to mind? The first place where all the cities related to the Olympics are compared is transportation. Is transportation good? Because athletes, managers, hundreds of thousands of people, every country in the world participate. Plus, it is a tremendous showcase with a position as a branded city where millions of spectators come and go.  Therefore, we set a target for these 2036 Olympics and while running towards it, we have some deficiencies to eliminate, for example, to increase the level of rail systems we are at today at least twice, and we are making efforts especially with electric buses used only in certain areas, which we are doing studies on autonomous vehicles. We need to fulfill all these processes properly. In this context, solidarity is very important. Thinking together is very important. This country has no such institution, no such institution. This municipality, that municipality does not exist. This municipality affiliated with this party, that municipality affiliated with that party does not exist. This minister from that party, this municipality from that party does not exist. Look, all these concepts hold this nation back. The absence of these concepts, belief in democracy, belief in the rule of law, and respect for democracy will take us forward. It liberates our people. It enables our children to look to the future with hope. In such a society, sports become more beautiful, medals increase. In such a society, good elections are made for their federations. There are qualified environments. Environments where attitudes are also good are provided. We want this.
"Don't delay us, it's a shame."
As Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, 5 years ago, we could have easily bought 300 buses. The loan, everything was ready. We couldn't get an approval. Just one signature... Now, we have been waiting for Treasury approvals for months, even more than a year. Of course, the Minister of Finance has difficult days in today's economic difficulties. He has troubled tasks. He has measures to take, but Istanbul's work must also continue. Some of our treasury approvals, look, these loans are important loans. Why, you may ask? Important funds. The lowest interest loans entering this country, at the same time, 2-3 years without payment. In other words, these loans will contribute to overcoming these difficult days and will bring foreign financing into the country for 7-8-10 years. Long-term payment options... You will sign, these loan opportunities will enter the country. Don't delay us, it's a shame. You are not doing anything to Ekrem İmamoğlu. You are causing trouble for the people of Istanbul, it's a shame. Just sign.
Why am I giving an example from five years ago? If we had bought 300 buses, today we would have had 1084 buses in our fleet, not 784. We would have had a younger fleet in terms of vehicle age. Who benefits from this? The people of Istanbul benefit. In other words, when we reach 350 kilometers, 700 kilometers, our value increases as one of the most modern cities in the world, and the value of our country increases. Looking at these issues from a national perspective, it is not right to reverse the situation by saying this party or that party; Ekrem İmamoğlu or someone else. Or when inviting someone to the podium, not giving the seat to the metropolitan mayor just because they are affiliated with a party is an antidemocratic attitude and behavior that goes beyond the framework of respect. While saying all these, can't we come up with solutions? We definitely can. We can find other solutions, overcome other difficulties, and find other ways and methods, but it wasted time for our country, our cities, our nation. Sign these. Let us do our job. Let's compete in goodness, let's compete in better service. Let's compete in order to have a stronger society in more scientific fields. Let's not argue about trivial matters. These are trivial matters. Preventing the signature is this. Therefore, we are determined to serve Istanbul with rational, scientific, and well-planned investments. We are determined in all our institutions.
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