Ekrem İmamoğlu: There is a "Capability of the Century" who betrayed Istanbul for the sake of profit

CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu made a statement regarding profit-oriented construction projects in Istanbul from the "Presidential Candidate Office" account on the social media platform X.

İmamoğlu included the following statements in his post:

In the first quarter of the 20th century… there was a nation that had emerged from World War I, fought for independence, and founded its new state. Ankara, the capital city, was rising in the Anatolian steppe, designed with the meticulousness of an international competition, where all technical and geographical conditions were researched. This was not just a capital choice; it was the Vision of the Century, one that offered security, strategy, and faith in the future.

In the first quarter of the 21st century, Istanbul—a city whose millennia-long history, identity as a melting pot of civilizations, and status as the apple of Türkiye's eye deserve to be preserved—is facing a reality that seeks to be destroyed by profiteering schemes. The Küçükçekmece Lake area, the most earthquake-prone area, the Sazlıdere Dam, Istanbul's drinking water pipeline, and the Terkos Lake basin are all under threat from construction.

Military bases are being converted into luxury housing, and millions of square meters of natural and cultural heritage are being turned into concrete dumps. This approach means imposing an additional population of over two million on an already burdened Istanbul.

Ultimately, on one side is the will that founded Ankara with a futuristic vision, and on the other, the incompetence of the century that betrayed our beloved Istanbul for the sake of profit. Our historical responsibility is to protect Istanbul and Türkiye from this lack of vision and to leave a livable and prosperous homeland for future generations!

In the first quarter of the 20th century...There was a nation that had emerged from World War I, fought for independence, and founded its new state. Ankara, the capital city, was rising in the Anatolian steppe, designed with the meticulousness of an international competition, where all technical and geographical conditions were researched.… pic.twitter.com/BlHcH8ocj8

— Presidential Candidate Office (@CBAdayOfisi) September 22, 2025