The first meeting of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Assembly in September of its 9th election period and 3rd meeting year is held in the Assembly Meeting Hall in the Presidency Building in Saraçhane. IMM Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan, who visited the Assembly groups before the meeting and wished them success in the new term, then chaired the session and made the opening speech.
In his speech, Aslan said; He gave messages on many topics, from current issues to the new academic year, from IMM's social support for children and young people to Istanbul's international relations, from important days in September to the painful events of recent days.
“WE ARE EXPERIENCED IN A SEVERE DEMOCRACY AND LEGAL CRISIS”
Aslan, who started his speech by greeting the IMM Assembly members and Istanbulites, wished the new meeting period to be beneficial. Aslan said:
"Dear council members; how can the citizens of a country feel comfortable? How can they feel safe? Of course, by trusting in justice and democracy. We have been experiencing a severe crisis of democracy and law for a long time. The fact that our Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu, our district mayors, bureaucrats and many of our companions are still detained has turned into a legal tragedy. All these cases led to two things: Ekrem İmamoğlu's place in the hearts of our nation has grown and strengthened. Trust in justice in Turkey is almost complete." It's over.
“STRONGING JUSTICE IS STRENGTHENING THE STATE”
I hope that this situation, which is causing great damage to the political institution, our democracy and our economy, will end as soon as possible. In these days when the world and our region are experiencing very critical developments, the Republic of Türkiye should not be so fragile within itself. Justice is the foundation of property, that is, the state. Strengthening justice means strengthening the state. "I hope you all see that we cannot get out of this impasse until the intervention of politics into the judiciary and the judiciary into politics ends."
EDUCATION SUPPORT WILL CONTINUE
Referring to the start of the new academic year, Aslan stated that IMM's current support for children and young people will continue and said:
"Dear council members, our new academic year has started today. Congratulations to all our students, teachers and families. In the press release we made this morning, we shared with the people of Istanbul the support we provide for the children and youth of Istanbul and the steps we will take in the new period.
I would like to underline one point here: The support we have provided to our children and youth until today will continue. Our school nutrition support will continue. Our stationery and training set support will continue. Our 'So Girls Can Read' and 'So You Can Read' supports will continue. Our social support, transportation and clothing support for young university students will continue. "Our dormitories, lesson workshops, technology workshops, school gyms and all other services we provide to our children and young people will continue."
“YOU READ, YOU DREAM”
Stating that the high cost of living increases the burden on families and young people, Aslan said that they are working on new supports:
"But we are not satisfied with this. Because as the cost of living increases, the burden on our families increases. The needs of our young people change. While we continue our existing supports, we are now adding new supports to them. Because today, the problem of a university student is not only passing the course; paying the rent, paying the bill, and covering transportation expenses have become a part of education life. We want our young people to spend their university years not with anxiety about making a living, but with dreaming of the future. That's why we say to our young people: You study, you dream; IMM is always with you."
BILL SUPPORT FOR STUDENT HOUSES
Stating that the first of the new supports for students is planned for water and natural gas bills, Aslan said, "Our first new support is for the bills of student houses. For the first time in the history of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, we support the water and natural gas bills of student houses. We will provide water and natural gas support to 20 thousand student houses, up to a total of 7 thousand 500 liras during the three-month winter period. We allocate a resource of 150 million liras for this. We do not want any of our young people to say, 'If I turn on the combi boiler, they will pay the bill while studying in winter. "How can I pay?" he said. Let IBB be with our students even in the dark winter.
“PENDANT STUDENT HOUSE INVOICE”
Stating that the invoice support will also have a solidarity aspect, Aslan continued as follows:
"There is also a solidarity aspect of this support. We are carrying the solidarity of Istanbul to student houses with the 'Pending Student Housing Invoice'. Our Istanbulites who want to support our students will also be able to contribute to this solidarity."
HOUSING AND DEPOSIT SUPPORT FOR 20 THOUSAND STUDENT HOUSES
Aslan stated that the second new support will be the "Welcome Home" application and said:
"Our second new support: Welcome Home. Housing should not be the first issue of a young person studying in Istanbul in this city. For this reason, we will provide a one-time housing and deposit support of 12 thousand 500 liras to 20 thousand student houses. For this, we are allocating 250 million liras of resources to our young people.
STUDENT SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE 1 TL
Our third new support is in transportation and I attach particular importance to this. No matter which day our students purchase their subscriptions between September 21st and October 17th, starting from that date, their one-month student subscriptions will be only 1 lira. Yes, you heard right: One month subscription is 1 TL. We are starting this support on September 21. September is the month when day and night are equal; We also want to equalize opportunities for the youth of Istanbul. For this purpose, we allocate approximately 441 million lira for our students.
IMM MUSEUMS GIVE 1 LIRA TO STUDENTS
And we have another new support: We are opening IMM's museums for 1 lira to our students, as well as to all our citizens. The total of our previous and new supports is 8.7 billion lira. "We are proud to spend the nation's money on the children of the Republic."
CALL TO ASSEMBLY GROUPS
Aslan also called on all political party groups in the Parliament regarding support for students:
"Dear council members, I hereby appeal to all our political party groups: Come, let's pass these in our parliament together. A child's lunch box does not have a party. A university student's bill does not have a political opinion. A young person's housing problem does not have a government or opposition. That child is our child, that young person is our child. Let's give good news to the youth of Istanbul from this parliament. Let's say together to the youth of Istanbul, 'IMM is always with you!'"
ISTANBUL TOOK OVER THE TERM PRESIDENCY OF THE SILK ROAD CITIES ALLIANCE
Aslan also made evaluations about the role of Istanbul in the international arena: "Dear friends; for the future of Istanbul, we have to make our city safer and more durable, while at the same time strengthening its economy, trade, tourism and ties with the world. Because Istanbul has been the meeting point of East and West, Asia and Europe, trade and civilizations for centuries.
Recently, we have undertaken a very important responsibility befitting this historical mission: As Istanbul, we took over the Term Presidency of the Silk Road Cities International Tourism Alliance. We aim to revive Istanbul's historical ties extending from Asia to Europe; We see it as an important opportunity to expand tourism, trade, investment and cultural cooperation between cities. Because Istanbul is not only Turkey's largest city, it is Turkey's gateway to the world. We want more tourists to enter through this gate, more trade to pass through, and more investments to come; Let Istanbul's tradesmen, merchants and producers win. Let the international power of Istanbul turn into abundance on the table of Istanbulites. Just as the Silk Road connected cities centuries ago, today, under the leadership of Istanbul, we want to connect cities with trade, tourism, culture and friendship.
“PEACE AT HOME, PEACE IN THE WORLD IS OUR WAY”
Dear friends, on the occasion of September 1, World Peace Day, we say once again: Peace should be the common path of humanity. Everyone must take responsibility to ensure that our region and the world, which is being torn apart by wars, find peace as soon as possible. Wars caused humanity and these lands to lose a lot. It is essential that we all try to organize peace together. Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's words "Peace at home, peace in the world" are our path.
SİVAS CONGRESS MESSAGE
We proudly celebrated the anniversary of the September 4 Sivas Congress. With the steps taken in Sivas, it was said that 'Mandate and protection are unacceptable'; All societies were united under one roof and it was declared to the whole world that our nation alone would determine its own destiny. The foundations of the Republic were laid in this city, with this will. I commemorate all our heroes who lit the torch of independence, especially Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, with respect, mercy and gratitude.
SEPTEMBER 9 IMPACT
September 9 is the anniversary of both the liberation of Izmir from enemy occupation and the founding of our Republican People's Party. September 9 is the symbol of independence and freedom. I proudly salute the liberation of Izmir and the struggle of our heroes who cleared our country from the enemy. On this occasion, I congratulate the 103rd founding anniversary of the Republican People's Party.
“THERE IS NO POWER OVER THE WILL OF THE NATION”
The September 12, 1980 Coup is one of the black pages of our democratic history. Throughout history, there have been those who wanted to take sovereignty from the nation and eliminate elections. These people believe that they have all the power in their hands. But power that is not taken from the nation is not power. There is no power above the will of the nation. That's why the coup plotters always lost in the end. The nation has shown them that the real power lies with them. We condemn the mentality that relies on coups. This nation has never given way to coup plotters and will never give them a pass.
VETERANS DAY MESSAGE
September 19, Veterans Day, is the day of our heroic veterans who sacrificed their bodies for these lands. We are forever grateful to our heroic veterans. As IMM, we always support our veterans. We will forever keep our homeland and our Republic alive, which they put their lives on the line to protect.
THANKS TO ISTANBUL FIRE DEPARTMENT
I wholeheartedly congratulate the heroic members of the IMM Fire Department on Fire Protection Week, which we celebrate between 25 September and 1 October. Their courage and sacrifice go beyond the borders of Istanbul. Istanbul Fire Department rushes to support wherever it is needed in the country. “I would like to thank our heroes who fight against disasters with great devotion.”
Aslan continued his messages regarding other important days in September as follows:
“September 26 Turkish Language Day reminds us of the beauty and richness of our language. It is our common responsibility to protect our beautiful Turkish and protect our language. We celebrate our Turkish Language Day; I would like to emphasize once again the importance of thinking in Turkish, speaking in Turkish, and writing in Turkish. I celebrate the anniversary of September 27, Naval Forces Day and the Preveza Naval Victory, and commemorate our heroic sailors with mercy and gratitude. I celebrate September 28, World School Milk Day. As IMM, we reach thousands of children with our Halk Süt project and contribute to their future.”
commemorated the names of those who left us in September
Aslan also commemorated the names whose death anniversaries occurred in September:
“Dear council members; On the anniversary of their passing away in September: İsmet Badem, the unforgettable voice of basketball, Süleyman Turan, one of the master actors of Turkish cinema, Aram Gülyüz, the productive director of our cinema, Ferdi Merter, theater and TV series actor, Şerif Mardin, a groundbreaking thinker in the field of social sciences, Türkan Akyol, Turkey's first female minister and one of the pioneers of women's rights, Tarık Akan, one of the legendary faces of our cinema, 'Those Crazy Turks'. I remember with mercy, gratitude and respect the great writer Turgut Özakman, who is remembered with his book, Tuncel Kurtiz, the unforgettable name of the stage and the silver screen, Recep Yazıcıoğlu, who has won our hearts as the 'People's Governor', our Sun of Art Zeki Müren, and the legendary striker of our football, 'The Uncrowned King' Metin Oktay.
HE MENTIONED THE PAINFUL EVENTS OF THE LAST DAYS
In the last part of his speech, Aslan touched upon the accidents and loss of life in recent days and said:
"As I finish my words, I would also like to touch upon the sad news we have received in recent days. I wish God's mercy on our soldier who was martyred as a result of the military vehicle overturning in Iğdır; I offer my condolences to his family, relatives, comrades-in-arms and our nation. I wish a speedy recovery to our soldiers who were injured in the accident. I wish God's mercy to our citizens who lost their lives in the disaster on the ferry between Kyrenia and Taşucu, and I wish patience and condolences to their families and relatives. I am waiting with hope for good news from our 10 crew members who were lost in the ship accident off the coast of Silivri, and I wish patience to their families and relatives. I wish God's mercy to the 2 citizens who lost their lives in the bus accident and subsequent fire that occurred in Eyüpsultan yesterday, and I wish a speedy recovery to all our citizens who were injured in these painful events. I commemorate our beloved martyrs once again with mercy and gratitude. May their souls rest in peace and I greet you all with love and respect.
