CHP's Arnavutköy rally | Özgür Özel: "Canal Istanbul was sold to Arab sheikhs"

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel spoke at the 63rd "Standing Up for the National Will" rally held in Arnavutköy. Özel addressed allegations of corruption in AKP-run municipalities. Claiming that the Canal Istanbul project was undertaken to "sell land to Arab sheikhs," Özel announced that the asphalt tender price was set at 6,501 Turkish Lira per ton. Addressing Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek, Özel said, "We will see what you will do about these disgraces."

The 63rd of the CHP rallies launched after the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was held in Arnavutköy. Despite the cold weather, tens of thousands of citizens filled Cumhuriyet Square and chanted slogans in support of İmamoğlu, who has been held in Silivri for 213 days. His wife, Dilek Kaya İmamoğlu, also attended the rally to lend her support.

CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Özgür Çelik read a letter İmamoğlu sent from Silivri at the rally. İmamoğlu addressed the citizens in his letter, saying, "You have been in the squares with great faith since March 19th." The imprisoned mayor added, "You are defending your rights as citizens against those who disregard the will of the people."

İmamoğlu stated that isolation was even imposed in the courtroom, adding: “I say the hearings should be broadcast live, I want to be tried in front of my nation, but they are trying to hide even a few seconds of my footage in the courtroom from the nation.”

İmamoğlu, who claimed that a "legal murder" had been committed against him and his friends, said, "Those who fear the nation, those who flee from the nation, are imprisoned in their palaces and offices."

In his letter, İmamoğlu also recalled their investments in Arnavutköy. Listing the Ahmet İsvan Public Bread Factory, three nurseries, a community center, and libraries, İmamoğlu said, "You know very well how I fought against that great treasonous project they call Canal Istanbul." İmamoğlu concluded his letter with the words, "Everything will be fine."

Özel focused on the Kanal Istanbul project in his speech, making significant claims about it. "No one wants Kanal Istanbul, but Erdoğan does," Özel said. "They've already marketed these lands to Arab sheikhs," and continued: "They want to build canal views on the land they've bought from these Arab sheikhs."

Özel stated that if the project were to materialize, the Sazlıdere Dam would be destroyed and Lake Terkos would be salinized, potentially resulting in the loss of a third of Istanbul's water. The CHP leader argued that Istanbul's population would increase by another 2 million. Özel noted that "social housing" was being built for the project, but that the apartments were being sold for 5 million Turkish lira, adding, "A minimum wage earner who never spent their wages for 20 years couldn't afford an apartment in so-called social housing."

Özel stated that an additional cost of 240 billion TL could provide urban transformation for 9.5 million households. He continued, “We are completely against this Canal Istanbul, which this nation opposes, which will take our water, our lake, and cause all kinds of destruction to nature.”

Özel explained that former İSKİ General Manager Şafak Başa sealed the Kanal Istanbul projects. "Because he saw what Kanal Istanbul was doing to the water basins, İSKİ's esteemed General Manager Şafak Başa went and sealed all of those projects," Özel said, adding:

"What did they do? They took Şafak Başa from her home in the morning and put her in the Vatan Police Department. Then they put her under house arrest so she couldn't interfere with the Istanbul Canal project."

Özel made a significant allegation of corruption by comparing the 2025 asphalt tenders of municipalities in Istanbul. The AKP-led Bağcılar Municipality paid 3,553 Turkish Lira per ton, the CHP-led Maltepe Municipality paid 2,716 Turkish Lira, and the Tuzla Municipality paid 2,630 Turkish Lira. The AKP-led Arnavutköy Municipality paid 6,501 Turkish Lira.

Özel, noting the strangeness of the situation, said, "We looked at the specifications, and the asphalt is the same. There's no gold dust mixed into the asphalt here." Özel, claiming they intimidate companies that bid low, said, "They intimidate the person who bids lower. The lowest bidder is eliminated." He added that Kolon İnşaat, which won the tender, was forced to withdraw.

Özel, stating that the asphalt was supposed to be finished for 587 million Turkish Lira but ended up costing 708 million Turkish Lira, addressed Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek: “All documents are registered. Are you calling Kolon İnşaat, which won the tender but was forced to withdraw? Are you launching an investigation into the municipality that purchased asphalt for 6,500 Turkish Lira?”

Özel made his second allegation regarding parcel number 10,835 in the Yeşilbayır district of Hadımköy. "An additional 320 meters of enclosed space was illegally built here, and it was the subject of a complaint. They told us to demolish it," Özel said, adding that the court ordered the demolition in October 2024. He noted that the Gaziosmanpaşa Prosecutor's Office wrote to the Arnavutköy Municipality in June to demolish the illegal structure.

He claimed that Deputy Mayor Davut Paralı responded, "The building causing the pollution has been removed," but that the demolition had not taken place. Özel added, "A false statement was written. There was interference in the proceedings, and there was false testimony made to the prosecutor's office."

Özel added, “We see that you will pick up Davut Paralı, who did not demolish the building you told him to demolish and who made false statements, from his home tomorrow morning, and that you will lie on your head out of fear of Tayyip.”

Özel, who made his third allegation regarding Mayor Mustafa Candaroğlu and Council Member Ercan Döner, said, "They bought a plot of land overlooking Canal Istanbul." He claimed that the two had obtained a villa permit and made improvements in violation of zoning regulations.

Özel explained that the two officers had not signed off on the illegal transaction, summarizing the situation as follows: “They told Officer Serdar and Officer Fatih to sign here. They had done nothing wrong; they resisted for months. The mayor exiled these two friends and took their signatures from them. He had their villas built.”

Özel argued that the civil servants were exiled and replaced by other civil servants who obtained their signatures.

Özel asked Akın Gürlek, “Are you picking up Mustafa Candaroğlu and Ercan Döner from their homes at 6:00 tomorrow morning, or are you lying on your ear?”

Özel said, "What did this villa mayor say to the people of Imrahor? He said, 'Vote for me, I'll solve your problems.' The day before, he sent a notice to the people of Imrahor and attempted to demolish their homes."

Özel, making his fourth allegation regarding the sale of Kelebek Printing House in the Hadımköy Industrial Estate, stated that a building was constructed on an 8,000-square-meter plot during his time as a municipality. He noted that when the municipalities were closed, the property transferred to Arnavutköy Municipality, and made the following allegations: “The Arnavutköy Municipality sold Kelebek Printing House to AKP Provincial Executive Burak Aydın for 251 million.”

Özel stated that the land was worth 215 million Turkish Lira and the structure was worth 220 million Turkish Lira, saying, "They sold a land worth 435 million Turkish Lira to the AKP provincial chairman for 251 million. The public losses are clear." Addressing Akın Gürlek, Özel asked, "Are you taking Mustafa Candaroğlu and Burak Aydın at 6:00 tomorrow morning, or are you just going to lie to them?"

Özel continued his criticism of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor, emphasizing that his allegations were supported by concrete documentation. "Akın Efendi, Tayyip Bey, the indictment isn't just a case of saying 'let's get it, boys, sign it,' and 'I heard it.' It's concrete, clear, and unambiguous," Özel said, adding: "We'll look at it from the bus next Wednesday. Has Akın Gürlek launched the necessary investigation?"