AKP Deputy Chairman Efkan Âlâ, who made a speech at the GNAT General Assembly for the 2026 Central Government Budget Law Proposal, targeted IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was arrested in the operation held on March 19, 2025.
In his speech, Âlâ called the IMM investigation “the country’s biggest corruption case” and said, “Instead of preparing Istanbul for an earthquake by preparing projects and urban transformation in IMM, which has a budget larger than the budget of 14 ministries, a wide and deep corruption ecosystem has been established.”
‘Did you wander around GEORGIA AIRSPACE FOR 2 HOURS ON THE NIGHT OF JULY 15?’
Speaking after Âlâ, CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir reiterated their demand for the hearings of the IMM investigation to be broadcast on TRT and reminded them of the presumption of innocence.
Responding to Âlâ’s words with harsh expressions, Emir stated that the indictment prepared regarding the IMM investigation was ‘inconsistent’ and called for the presumption of innocence.
Addressing Âlâ’s words, Emir used the following expressions:
“The things you took from the sloppy mayors after July 15, they left crying. Were they tried, where are they? Shoe boxes, cash registers in houses…
Where are those ministers, where were they tried? We want to be tried, but in independent courts. You will not establish new courts, you are courageous. If there is a decision you do not want, you dissolve the court, but you establish a new court for Ekrem İmamoğlu’s IMM case. This is your understanding of judgment and justice. Mr. Ala, if you believe so much that you will pollute the nation with the presumption of innocence, someone will come and ask you, “Did you wander around Georgian airspace for 2 hours on July 15?” What will you say? “Be careful when you play with people’s dignity.”
‘THE ONE WHO CANNOT PROVE IS DIShonorable’
Reacting to CHP’s Emir’s claims, Efkan Âlâ stated that he learned about the attempt from the then MİT President Hakan Fidan, as he was on the plane during the July 15 coup attempt, and said, “That night, at 21.25, we landed at the airport at 22.45 with a THY scheduled flight from Erzurum Airport, together with all my guards and officials. When we landed at Ankara Airport, our MPs were there. A crisis at the airport.” “I managed the whole process by creating the center. Georgia was the center of these affairs, it is obvious that you do not understand this matter. If this allegation is true, the one who says this is dishonorable, dishonorable, or the one who says this and does not prove it is dishonorable. Is it appropriate for you to tell so many FETO lies? The one who thinks about going to Georgia is dishonorable,” he said.
‘DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW WHAT THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE IS?’
Repeating the call for the presumption of innocence for Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was tried within the scope of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality investigation for the allegation he made, CHP’s Emir responded to Âlâ as follows:
“Do you understand what the presumption of innocence is? This is what I’m saying. Mr. Âlâ, we did not call anyone a member of FETO. I did not call anyone a member of FETO without concrete evidence, but you also called those who could not prove it ‘despicable, dishonorable’. You will say, ‘Ekrem İmamoğlu is innocent until he is tried and convicted. Anyone who calls him a thief is a vile, dishonorable person.’ Do you have the courage? If you do not consider the honor and dignity of others as much as your own, then you will not speak. This is why the presumption of innocence exists. If you put the mayor and our friends in prison saying ‘we will find the slanderer and make him talk’ when there is no concrete criminal charge or indictment, you cannot talk about honor and dignity here. “You have no right to do this.”
