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İmamoğlu Says They Are Politically Ready If the Congress Is Blocked
Ekrem İmamoğlu stated in an interview from Silivri Prison that if the congress process within CHP is obstructed, they are politically, mentally, and physically prepared. İmamoğlu also claimed that the government is interfering with CHP through the judiciary, describing the party as "frozen."
Imprisoned Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, in an interview from Silivri Prison, rejected the narrative of "internal party disputes" and stated that the government has carried out a coup through the judiciary, saying, "CHP has been frozen."
THE MARCH 19 COUP CONTINUES, CHP HAS BEEN FROZEN
İmamoğlu said, "CHP has fallen into the hands of those who seek help from Erdoğan," summarizing the situation by stating that a party that was advancing toward power was subjected to a judicial coup and collaborators were placed at the party's head, concluding with "CHP has been frozen."
Referring to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was appointed as CHP chairman following the absolute annulment decision, İmamoğlu used the term "internal enemy" to describe those with malicious and treacherous plans within the party and urged, "My people should not pay attention to them."
IF THE CONGRESS IS BLOCKED, WE ARE POLITICALLY, MENTALLY, AND PHYSICALLY READY
Addressing the ongoing congress process and discussions about a new party within CHP, İmamoğlu sent a clear message: "We are politically, mentally, and physically ready."
THE KURDISH ISSUE CANNOT BE RESOLVED ONLY BY ENDING CONFLICT
Speaking about the ongoing process, İmamoğlu said, "With such a government mentality, this process will lead nowhere. The government does not want to return to democracy and the rule of law." He also noted that there has been no political or media change regarding the socialization of the process, emphasizing that this reveals the government's true intentions.
Highlights from İmamoğlu's interview with İlke TV include: "I AM THE PEOPLE'S CANDIDATE, IGNORE THE INTERNAL ENEMY APPOINTEE" You are the presidential candidate of a party determined by millions of citizens' votes, currently at the center of intense public debate. Do you still see yourself as the presidential candidate of the CHP led by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was appointed by a judicial decision?
If not, what is the main reason? "I am the people's candidate. The positive or negative opinions of those who support the coup have no value for us. What matters is the will expressed by millions of citizens in the primaries. I am only obliged to comply with that. They chose a coup alliance that tries to deceive the people by calling it 'state wisdom.' We chose the people's heart.
We chose the honor of the state. We chose the Republic and democracy. Yes, I am the candidate of CHP, which has 2 million members. I am the candidate of the legitimate party management formed by the will of the CHP delegates and the party members who elected me with a historic vote in the primaries. But essentially, I am the candidate of our nation. I want to emphasize this.
"After your interview with Murat Sabuncu, there were comments that the bridges between you and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu have been completely burned. However, Kılıçdaroğlu insists on 'purification' and says he will take CHP back to a congress, though he does not share a clear timeline. He states that a cleanup will be done within the party first.
What do you think Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and his team are trying to do today? What are their goals? "I do not know what the internal enemy appointee thinks, nor do I care. I advise our people not to pay attention to this person to avoid distress. Because Turkey has much more important and serious issues than him. What I see is that the Republican People's Party is being detached from the people's agenda.
The government's biggest desire is exactly this. They do not want the Republican People's Party to talk about retirees, youth, unemployed, farmers, women, fleeing investments, hunger, and despair; instead, they want it to be occupied with an internal issue as if created by using the judiciary as a tool.
The usurpers are closing in on a party that has become Turkey's leading party, inspiring millions of people’s hopes and advancing toward power, trying to disconnect its energy from the people's problems. We run, they flee. They call it a by-election, no reaction. They call it the economy, no reaction. Land titles are exposed, still no reaction. The result is presented to us as a coup. May God not let anyone fall into this situation.
While we run, they can only keep advancing by destroying everything and fleeing breathlessly. We will continue running with our people and cleanse Turkey from this destructive mentality. We have dreams and goals. We have things to do for Turkey.
I think and work every day on how Turkey will enter 2050, what we will do in the economy, industry, agriculture, and national security, and how we will live in peace and harmony as a nation. The people already take note of these. I love them very much and trust them deeply. The people will also take note of the internal enemy appointee and those who plan to trample on the people's will.
"'NOT STATE WISDOM, BUT TUTELAGE WISDOM' In the midst of these debates, Bülent Kuşoğlu explained the events with the concept of 'state wisdom' and said the absolute annulment decision cannot be evaluated independently of this framework. Who or what do you think is meant by 'state wisdom' here? What is the aim? "It is a ridiculous statement.
It is nothing but an attempt to give a kind of irresponsibility shield to some politicians and bureaucrats within the government. If it is state wisdom, it closes universities at night and reopens them in the morning. It cannot solve the simplest problems of citizens and adds new ones every day. Those who serve as tools for them also spread ridiculous expressions with the words 'state wisdom.'
Who are you? Who gave you the authority to make decisions about this country's politics without asking the people? Are we in 2026 or 1996? This is a structure trying to return Turkey to its old dark years and tutelage mentality, and its owner is Erdoğan.
Today, Turkey's economy has collapsed, public order has deteriorated, food inflation has exploded, it has fallen behind in the technology race, and the birth rate has dropped below even European countries. Apparently, the structure they try to make the people swallow by calling it 'state wisdom' is not sufficient for this country. That is why we will activate the people's wisdom. The wisdom of the Turkish state makes sense only if it takes the people's wisdom as its guide.
Whenever state management moves away from the people's wisdom, public conscience, public interest, and justice, reason denies itself and serves someone. There, state wisdom leaves, and tutelage wisdom comes. What they call 'state wisdom' is designed as a veil of evil intertwined with incompetence. A mentality seeking legitimacy abroad does not even come close to state wisdom.
Maybe they mean the wisdom of other states. The mind that tries to abolish the Republic and democracy for the sake of power is not the wisdom of my state. That is why those who cling to this concept are ridiculous in Turkey today.
The wisdom of this state is the diligent and devoted civil servants who serve their state and nation every day with honor, dignity, and pride, the workers who sweat, and the students who work hard. If anyone has lost their way, they should follow their wisdom; they will surely lead us to the right path.
"CHP IS ONE, IT HAS BEEN FORCIBLY HELD HOSTAGE" With the recent parliamentary group meeting crisis, comments have emerged that the long-discussed "two CHPs" debate has become concrete. On one side is the elected chairman Özgür Özel, on the other an appointed administration. How do you, Ekrem İmamoğlu, evaluate this situation? How can CHP, which emerged as the leading party in the local elections, overcome this process?
Or is it possible to overcome it with an appointed administration? Because there are also assessments in the public that a new party is inevitable. "CHP is one; it has been forcibly held hostage and has fallen into the hands of those who seek help from Erdoğan, not the CHP delegates. CHP has been occupied by force, through dubious judicial processes and media defamation campaigns.
This operation is the second step of the coup that began on March 19. Its owner is Erdoğan. Our party's delegates have chosen our chairman Özgür Özel as the leader. If the congress decision, which is a legal requirement, is made, they will choose again. However, those who twist and turn to become trustees are apparently fleeing the congress. They are ashamed of the CHP delegates.
They thought they could manage the party by entering our headquarters with police and have come to the point of playing 'CHP-ism' in our headquarters, which they have practically occupied. Believe me, those who eagerly accept the role assigned to them by the government have no importance. Our people should not worry about them. Now, nearly a thousand of our delegates have signed for the congress. We are still working for our congress to take place.
However, if the congress demanded by CHP members is forcibly blocked, we are politically, mentally, and physically ready to not only prevent slowing down the people's march but to accelerate it. I want it to be known that I will not allow this government to be gifted another election. In Turkey, it is no longer CHP but multi-party politics and the Republic that are in danger. Democracy and justice have been devastated.
With this responsibility, we are determined and resolute fighters for our 86 million citizens. "THE KURDISH ISSUE IS TERRORISM.
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