The mayors of the member cities of the European Cities Union (EUROCITIES), the IMM President, who was sentenced to 2 years 7 months and 15 imprisonment by the local court and a political ban was requested. Ekrem İmamoğlu and met in Saraçhane. The mayors of Florence, Athens and Hanover are physical; Mayor of Paris written; The mayors of Utrecht, Linz and Hamburg also offered their support to İmamoğlu via video-message. İmamoğlu said, “They say that justice is the greatest and most valuable of virtues. It is. If we lose our sense of justice, we cease to be human. A society that loses its sense of justice loses its chance of being civilized. A government that has lost its sense of justice loses its raison d'être” and conveyed his thanks to the mayors who offered their support.
Florence Municipality of Italy moved the meeting of “Meeting with Mayors of Growing and Developing Cities”, which it planned to organize in its cities, to Istanbul. Eight mayors, members of the European Union of Cities (EUROCITIES), including the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), came together at the “Istanbul Solidarity Meeting of Growing and Developing Cities International Mayors”. IMM President attended the meeting held in the historical building of IMM in Saraçhane. Ekrem İmamoğlu, Florence Mayor and President of EUROCITIES Dario Nardella, Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis, Mayor of Hannover Belit Onay and EUROCITIES Secretary General Andre Sobczak attended physically. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo written; Mayor of Utrecht Sharon Dijksma, Mayor of Linz Klaus Luger and Mayor of Hamburg Dr. Peter Tschentscher also sent a video-message to the meeting. The moderator of the meeting was Prof. Dr. Murat Somer did it.
İMAMOĞLU: “A POWER THAT LOSE THE FEEL OF JUSTICE LOSE THE REASON FOR EXISTENCE”
Sharing the information that the meeting took place through Florence Mayor and EUROCITIES President Dario Nardella, İmamoğlu determined that cities and democracies have historically developed together. Stating that this situation continues today, İmamoğlu said, “In my opinion, the most important reason for this unity is that both city life and democratic life are built on mutual trust. Therefore, anything that undermines trust between people threatens both cities and democracy. For example, such as injustice; such as political and cultural polarization; such as degenerating justice with lies in the post-truth era and using the judiciary as a weapon against the opposition. They say that justice is the greatest and most precious of virtues. It is. If we lose our sense of justice, we cease to be human. A society that loses its sense of justice loses its chance of being civilized. A government that has lost its sense of justice loses its reason for being.
“ISTANBUL'S EXPOSURE TO INJUSTICE IS PROOF THAT WE ARE GOING ON THE RIGHT PATH”
Saying, “City life provides an environment that allows this fact to be seen with the naked eye,” İmamoğlu said:
“For this reason, pioneering and innovative examples in social justice policies and solidarity practices are usually the work of local governments. While presenting our vision of Istanbul, the first word we spoke was 'justice'. We said 'Istanbul will be a fair, green and creative city'. For about 4 years, we have been taking important steps on this path and making very valuable progress. The fact that Istanbul, which is fighting for justice, is exposed to a blatant injustice that does not fit into the public conscience is proof of how well we are on the right track. The legal-looking coup attempt, which was intended to be carried out against the will of the people of Istanbul in my person, has united millions of people who have not lost their sense of justice on a very broad and powerful platform. This platform rises on a universal understanding that does not care about who is committing unlawfulness against whom, but only focuses on whether what is done is fair and democratic.
Within the framework of this understanding, I would like to thank all the esteemed mayors and the Secretary General of EUROCİTİES who acted in solidarity with me and the people of Istanbul.”
'SOLIDARITY' THANKS TO THE MAYORS
“We see leaders in various countries of the world who pretend not to belong to the 21st century and disregard values such as democracy and justice,” said İmamoğlu. leaders who maintain their power by nurturing this atmosphere. In the face of the authoritarian rule of these leaders, those who stand on the side of justice, democracy and truth seem to have lost some ground and retreated a little. It's possible. But it's a pullback like a football player pulling back to better hit the set ball. We; he scores the goals, we win that match. Because we are humanity. On behalf of 16 million Istanbulites, I would like to thank each of you for your visit to international democratic solidarity.”
FLORENCE MAYOR DARIO NARDELLA: “LET THE VOICES OF MAYORS, THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITIES, BE HEARD”
Imamoglu is certainly an important source of inspiration for us as European and non-European mayors. As both the Mayor and the President of Eurocities, I firmly believe that solidarity between cities, dialogue between our communities, as well as that we mayors should inspire each other, even learn from each other, make suggestions to support each other, and networking. We mayors turn inspiration into a concrete strategy to protect and create opportunities for those at the very edge of society, the most vulnerable, and those most exposed to the risks of increasingly volatile economic and social balances. My wish for all of us today is that we can continue to foster dialogue through our work and set an example, including to higher levels of government, so that the actions and voices of the people we need to protect are heard. Let the voice of Mayors, who are the voice of our communities, be heard.
PARIS MAYOR ANNE HIDALGO: “YOU HAVE FULL SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT AGAINST INCREDIBLE PENALTY”
I won't be able to be with you in Istanbul today, as the situation in Paris after Friday's attack requires me to be in my city for the time being. Dear Ekrem; You have my full solidarity and support in the face of this unacceptable situation and unbelievable punishment, which undermines the most fundamental principles of democracy and the rule of law, to which we are all deeply attached, as in Turkey. As Mayors, we need strong and stable institutions and everyone, and especially the government, to respect the law. Without it, no form of government involving our citizens is possible. My heart is with you and I am confident that justice will prevail. We, as mayors, also need a stable and protective institutional and judicial framework that guarantees the full implementation of the rule of law and respect for democracy. We recognize the immensely valuable nature of a democratic system in France and around the world, and I will stand by you to defend it.
ATHENS MAYOR KOSTAS BAKOYANNIS: “WE ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISTANBUL AND EKREM FOR DEMOCRACY”
We are here today as mayors of European cities, democrats and representatives of the common truth of our citizens. We are not to talk big words, Ekrem İmamoğluWe have come to express our support in a practical and one-hearted manner. A Mayor in Turkey's largest city who dutifully serves democracy and promotes cooperation, peace and prosperity in the wider Balkan region. A beloved public figure facing the penalty of deprivation of liberty and civil rights in a case dating back many years. is of great importance. This is not just a temporary source of grief and anger. Unfortunately, this is a 'slippery slope' with serious consequences for Turkey's European prospects. To put it simply: if today the twice elected Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor is censored, that is, freedom of expression is trampled underfoot, then what will happen to democracy in Turkey tomorrow? When is dawn for citizens? Istanbul is the European capital of Turkey. It connects East and West, both geographically and politically, with its culture. Turkey is our neighbor and we want the well-being of our neighbourhood. In other words, for the good of Turkey… We stand by the people of Istanbul for democracy, by Ekrem's side. We are on the right side of history. Since I trust Ekrem's political power, I trust the impartial decision of the court in the appeal process. Justice will prevail. I am optimistic that the rule of law will win this war as well.
HANNOVER MAYOR BELIT ONAY: “Mrs. IMAMOGLU; WE WISH YOU STRENGTH AND SUCCESS”
This summer I met with Mr. Imamoglu and we talked about the challenges our cities are facing and how we can best solve them for our citizens. Cities are more than just places to live together. They are places where social pressure to act and the will to change crystallize. Cities are points of departure and new beginnings. They form a different framework of living together. Cities are places where democracy, social justice and problem-solving skills are directly impacted and rightly demanded. That's why as cities we need networks to exchange ideas and work on the best solutions. The wheel doesn't need to be reinvented everywhere. Therefore, I am also here as the mayor of a city active in the Eurocities network. Just like Istanbul. In this network, we defend each other because we are united around a common interest. For the good of our citizens. Mr. Imamoglu; Thank you for this initiative. We wish you strength and success.
UTRECHT MAYOR SHARON DIJKSMA: “ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT ARE OBLIGED TO PROTECT THE RULE OF LAW”
Mayors often lead the way in addressing inequalities in their cities, while also promoting more sustainable societies. As mayors, we face strong opposition to the tough choices we make. Whatever our political preferences, all levels of government have a duty to work with mayors, defend our democracy and uphold the rule of law. Mayor İmamoğlu shows the courage needed to transform his city into a more just and sustainable place. He should be supported rather than hindered and judged for his mission. I fully support Mayor İmamoğlu and his important role in protecting our democratic values.
LINZ MAYOR KLAUS LUGER: “I HOPE IT IS A WINNING DEMOCRACY IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY”
My dear friend Ekrem, I just want to emphasize one thing to you: You are one of those people who have done a lot for democracy. You and your friends, your colleagues in Istanbul, have shown that a just and social city, a metropolitan area is possible. I hope your consultations turn out well and I hope democracy wins in Istanbul, Turkey in the coming weeks and months. Thank you very much, all the best. I am always with you.
HAMBURG MAYOR DR. PETER TSCHENTSCHER: “GLOBAL CITIES MUST BE THE PLACE OF DEMOCRACY, TOLERANCE AND FREEDOM”
I wish you a fruitful sharing with many new ideas for practical politics in Istanbul, modern metropolises. Beyond everyday business, global cities serve an important function as role models for politics as a whole. Global cities should be a place of democracy, tolerance and freedom. Mr. Imamoglu; You won the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality elections twice in 2019. I wish you all the best in fulfilling your duties as mayor of this important, traditional city and continuing your political work. Greetings from the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
EUROCITIES SECRETARY GENERAL ANDRE SOBCZAK: “THEY MUST INCLUDE YOU IN THE DEMOCRATIC DECISION-MAKING PROCESS”
As mayors, you have a role that goes beyond your own cities. You have a responsibility to your whole country as a whole and this needs to be recognized by national governments, European and international institutions. It is not enough that they only involve you in the implementation of their decisions; they also need to involve you in the democratic decision-making process. They should not see you as competitors or even enemies; they need to respect you as a partner and give you a place at the table. This is exactly what EUROCITIES is fighting for.
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