İmamoğlu Warns: Curfew Must Be Declared in Istanbul

IMM President Ekrem İmamoğluparticipated in the live broadcast of journalist Ayşenur Arslan's "Medya Mahallesi" program on Halk TV. Emphasizing that no institution of the state should be excluded in the fight started due to the coronavirus epidemic, which affected the world and our country, İmamoğlu said, "Tell us about the state of Istanbul...", adding, "While the total number of cases in Moscow is over a thousand, the Moscow curfew was announced. It is a city with a population as big as Istanbul with its suburbs. Curfew…What are we dealing with? I revolt; what are we dealing with? Let's look at the agendas: 'What did he say, what did he say?' Deal with the troll, I don't know what! Or we are dealing with people who are trying to discuss this process on the political ground. My brother; you will detect, you will take precautions, you will struggle, you will achieve success. The spirit of today demands it. This is the situation in Istanbul. I insistently say this: Bari, a curfew should be declared only in Istanbul.”

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) President Ekrem İmamoğlu, participated in the live broadcast of journalist Ayşenur Arslan's "Medya Mahallesi" program on Halk TV and answered questions about the coronavirus epidemic agenda. Imamoglu, Arslan said, “Either society and democracy will come out of this process stronger, or authoritarian regimes will become more authoritarian, as in Hungary for example. He gave the following answer to the question “What do you foresee for Turkey?”

THE WORLD MUST DEVELOP BY PROTECTING

“I think the whole world will step into a period that makes the world more compromising, strengthens democracy, and acts as the main principle to act in detail. For; it is a sign of how authoritarian and unscientific moves are disrupting the world. Humanity is already struggling with a populist world. This is the case when you look at the last 10-15 years, 20 years, when you look at different countries of the world, and in this sense, you question. I think that if the common mind had already mastered, if the model that protects nature, protects life and protects people is dominant at the moment, with science, mind, we would not have turned into such a desperate humanity against the virus. The world must develop. Development is an important process. But I look like this: The world should develop by being protected. We see that when you do not maintain the basic fiction of the world, the development will cause great disruption and sometimes it can cause irreversible damage. Let's take a look at the agenda of Istanbul for the last few years; 16 million people suddenly, we have to be trapped in our homes to protect our lives. We say 'we have to.' But let's look at the last 1-1,5 year agenda of Istanbul; We see how we knead such dough, and how we strive to make Istanbul an unbearable stressful city. After that, the cross section in Istanbul, 16 million people, 17-18 million people in the future will now make decisions considering this aspect of the business. I think that protecting the living spaces will discuss how to protect and develop this world-renowned geography that we have inherited. ”

WE WERE CHOSEN TO COME TOGETHER

At the request of Arslan, "Tell us about the state of Istanbul ...", Imamoglu used the following statements:
“We are in the process of about 40 days, in Istanbul, actually. After the announcement of this epidemic as a pandemic, we are in the process for 40 days towards the end of February, when people say that we understand the corony, the necessary measures to be taken, then we start disinfection beyond the disinfection process that we normally do. We made the following call all the time: We must be together. Because crises have a solution model. Only the society can solve the crisis as follows: You have to compromise, you have to come together and you have to make decisions about managing the process with one mind. We were able to hold our first meeting in Istanbul last week on Saturday-1 month; can you believe At the invitation of our Governor, I attended the meeting of the Provincial Administrative Board in the morning. In the afternoon, I was able to attend the meeting of the Pandemic Board. However, I made this call many times. Whatever wisdom here, we had problems getting together. We have been chosen to come together, or there are those who have been appointed. But that's in Turkey, starting when troubles began to be managed by another feeling. "

THE CENTER OF THE PANDEM IN TURKEY, ISTANBUL

Now, the center of the pandemic in Turkey is Istanbul. Istanbul is the center of both cases and unfortunately deaths - may Allah have mercy on all our losses. I do not have the chance to know all the numbers. The Ministry of Health is responsible and the only statement in this regard is the Ministry of Health. I do not consider the figures abnormal to the ministry's statement. In such processes, I find it right to share information from a single source. However, my point is in another direction. Istanbul is the center of this business. Therefore, on an issue where Istanbul is the center, it is always discussed and debated like a permanent table member of IMM… Because we have the greatest logistical power. We have 85 thousand employees. Today, we are the biggest supporters of the activities of the governorship and other institutions in the field; with its tools, with its human resources. We will continue to give. This is our responsibility. We have to. Why am I telling all this? The ability to compromise and come together and manage the crisis leads to a faster resolution of the process.

SUNDAY THANK YOU BUT MONDAY

Since March 13, I have expressed the fact that curfews have been imposed. In my first speech, I didn't say curfew, but I mean something close to it. I have been saying personally for 8-10 days that 'curfew must be declared'. Why do we say? Let me give a short example. On Sunday, our Governor thanked our fellow townsmen from Istanbul; which I also shared by thanking, adding himself. Indeed, the images on Sunday showed that Istanbul was on the ground with very few trips. But on Monday I saw that we were wrong. We detected 464 thousand trips in public transportation on Sunday. The number of individual vehicles was also very low in the Sunday footage. On Monday, 1 million 124 thousand 178 trips! 3 times exactly. In addition, there was such an intense vehicle traffic that; In E-5, in TEM. I insistently say this: Bari, the only curfew should be declared in Istanbul.

WHAT ARE WE Dealing With?

“Yesterday, the Mayor of Lisbon called me; Like 'What are you doing, what are we doing?' Lisbon is also the most important city of Portugal. He said that they had meetings with the country's Prime Minister and participating ministers on the measures to be taken. I'm looking at the table; Prime Minister, ministers and Mayor of Lisbon. When we say 'Let's make these decisions', we say at the point where we insist: Pandemic says to us; 'I'm contagious, brother!' Yes, it has economic costs; yes, it has production-related costs. We will solve them. Our government will solve them with its economic measures. This period - all the data shows it - the next 2-3 weeks is a very critical period. Yesterday, the number of cases in us is a thousand-odd. While the total number of cases in Moscow was a thousand-odd, Moscow declared a curfew. It is a city whose population is as much as Istanbul with its suburbs. Curfew ... What are we dealing with? I rebel; what are we dealing with Let's look at the agenda: 'What did he say, what did he say.' Dealing with trolls, telling me what! Or we are dealing with people who are trying to discuss this process on political ground. My brother; you will determine, you will take measures, you will struggle, you will achieve success. Today's spirit requires it. This is the situation in Istanbul. ”

IF IT REMAINS TO THE MINISTER OF HEALTH, IT SHOULD 'I DECLARE A BAN ON THE STREET'

It is a great mobilization. A curfew must be declared urgently in Istanbul. Regarding Istanbul, I do not want to experience a period when 1 million 100 thousand public transportation trips, E-5, roads are full of private traffic. We talk about their prices and economic measures, but today's headline is, like yesterday, we think that the curfew should be implemented in Istanbul. I also see the struggle of the Minister of Health. I want it to be successful. I also talked to them on the phone. I sent my suggestions to them in writing, and I will continue this week. In this sense, the Minister of Health said something critical. 'Apply your own quarantine. Declare yourself a curfew. In fact, the Minister of Health is also at the point where he gives the same message. So he does. Says clearly. What would you say? What more can the minister say? If he could make that decision alone, I am sure that he will go out on the streets today, saying 'I declared a curfew' with the eyes of a physician. IMM also has a scientific board. I am listening to them too. I was invited to the Pandemic Board for the first time in Istanbul. There were a large number of physicians. Provincial Health Director was there. The only thing they all say in this dire picture - of course we are fighting a great deal, they also told them; that it will be quarantined. Clear view that the process could be with a curfew. They tell about the gravity, they see the exit. I'm telling me what science has told me.