Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmuş, attended the opening session with the theme of ‘Growing Hope for Future Generations, Ensuring Peace and Ensuring Justice’ within the scope of the 152nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), hosted by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Parliamentarians from many countries also attended the opening session.

‘THE CENTERS THAT CLAIM THAT THEY REPRESENT THE CONSCIENCE ARE ENJOYED BY WATCHING THE PAIN’

Speaking at the opening, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Kurtulmuş said, “The international system has clearly gone into collapse. The dire situation in Gaza is only one of the clearest expressions of this collapse. The failure to demonstrate an effective and binding will in the face of a situation where civilians cannot be protected, their right to life cannot be guaranteed, the health infrastructure collapses, humanitarian aid passage is blocked, and basic living opportunities are eliminated; it is a serious responsibility and a serious test for all of us in terms of the international system. There is no need to mince words here. “The international structure, which remains silent in the face of renewed systematic attacks on humanity, is actually losing its founding claims, and the centers that claim to represent conscience are content to watch the pain,” he said.

‘POLITICAL NEGOTIATIONS CAN NEVER BE MADE OVER THE RIGHT TO LIVE OF CIVILIANS’

Kurtulmuş said, “The Palestine issue has gone far beyond being the tragedy of a specific region and has become a common testing ground for humanity. Gaza is like a clear laboratory of how destructive consequences the selective application of humanitarian law produces. Gaza is a heavy test that makes us question why institutions were established today, who the rules exist to protect, and to what extent the human family can behave consistently in the face of common values, and we are all faced with this test. Silence maintained at the expense of the lives of the oppressed, never, never impartiality.” “With your permission, I would like to repeat this sentence. Silence maintained at the expense of the lives of the oppressed can never be accepted as impartiality. I would like to state clearly that the passage of aid convoys cannot be accepted as a blessing depending on the diplomatic calendar and cannot be implemented.

‘PARLAMENTS HAVE A GREAT DUTY’

Kurtulmuş said, “The most basic function of the global conscience is to call a violation a violation, regardless of who it comes from, and to bring the violator before the human family as guilty. What is really needed in the period we are in is to act in accordance with the words spoken and the rules established, rather than producing more words. The international community has to quickly get rid of an understanding that is satisfied with condemnation, lingers with postponement, and confines serious crises to procedural discussions, and solve the problems we face in the international arena with astuteness. We know that diplomacy, of course, requires coolness. Courtesy is one of the indispensable elements of the international system and international contact. However, politeness should never be turned into a cover that makes cruelty invisible, and we should not lose the ability to call the oppressor the oppressor under the curtain of politeness. There is also a difference between speaking in a measured manner and speaking ineffectively. For this reason, I would like to underline that parliaments have a great duty to speak out clearly and never hide the truth in our words. “We will not behave in any way,” he said.

‘IT IS CLEAR THAT WE NEED A MORE SINCERE COOPERATION’

At the end of his speech, Kurtulmuş said, “Most of the societies that bear the heaviest burden are among the societies with the least historical responsibility in all these areas. It is clear that we need a more sensitive, more balanced and more sincere understanding of cooperation in the face of this injustice. We will not be in favor of language that deepens divisions. We will continue to defend a line that is based on fairness, emphasizes negotiation, protects human dignity, reduces representation crises and makes multilateral structures more reputable. The same approach is undoubtedly valid for inter-parliamentary contact. Different views “We have to develop an understanding where discussions can be held on legitimate grounds, harsh disagreements can be handled within civilized procedures, and new opportunities are multiplied around the common good. Undoubtedly, if we act this way, it will be possible for hope to flourish. Undoubtedly, when we act in this way, we will continue our principled stance in political determination. When we act in this way, we will make a great contribution to the expansion of justice in the world.”

Mustafa Kavuş evaluated the seven years he spent in office with an emotional and meaningful message. Kavuş, who described the past seven years as a ‘dedicated journey’, talked about the services provided and shared his hopes for the future. In his statement, Mayor Kavuş expressed his deep commitment to Meram with the following words: “We did not only serve this beloved district for seven years; we engraved our labor on every stone, our love on every street, and our sincerity in every moment.”

“EVERY CORNER OF MERAM HAS A NEW STORY”
Emphasizing that Meram is not just an ordinary town to live in, but also “a garden of civilization that has a soul and breathes”, Mayor Kavuş also revealed the basis of the service concept to date in his statement. Kavuş stated that they worked day and night during their tenure; He stated that they have taken important steps in a wide range of areas, from urban transformation to transportation, from infrastructure to social living spaces. Stating that the face of Meram has changed significantly and modernized in this process, Kavuş said, “The streets echo with hope today; every corner we touch hosts a new story.” With his words, he drew attention to social renewal as well as physical transformation.

“WE PRESERVED THE SPIRIT AND HISTORY OF THE CITY DURING THE SEVEN YEAR PERIOD”
Underlining that the investments made are permanent works left not only for today but also for the future, Mayor Kavuş stated that the roads opened not only shorten the distances, but also bring hearts closer to each other. Stating that the nature of Meram has been added value with the investments made in green areas, Kavuş said that the joy of children, the energy of young people and the peace of adults echoing in the parks are the most concrete reward of these services. Emphasizing that they consider preserving the spirit and historical texture of the city during the modernization process as one of their greatest responsibilities, Kavuş said, “The main thing has always been to keep it alive, beautify it and add meaning. This is what we have achieved the most for seven years.” He summarized his understanding of service with his expressions.

“WE WILL CONTINUE TO WALK WITH THE SAME FAITH AND EFFORT”
Stating that being elected for the second time in Meram has greatly increased his responsibility, Mayor Kavuş said that his efforts to meet expectations have doubled. Mayor Kavuş thanked everyone for their support in every investment made, and stated that the prayers, support and trust of the citizens of Meram are behind all the successes achieved, and that they are working with the effort to be worthy of this trust. Stating that the past seven years have turned into a success story that touched Meram’s destiny and brought hope to its future, Kavuş concluded his words with the following message; “This is just the beginning… We will continue to walk and produce services for a more beautiful, more livable and stronger Meram with the same faith, the same love and the same effort.”

The financial bottleneck that Izmir Metropolitan Municipality was in was also reflected in the reports. According to the 2025 review of the audit commission elected among İZBB Assembly members, the municipality’s income, which was 42.3 billion TL in 2024, reached 65 billion TL in 2025. 77.2 million TL of the 85.7 million TL tax accrual was collected. While the total debt burden exceeded 52.9 billion TL, 42.36 percent of this debt consisted of external financial debts. Its short-term debts were 28 billion 660 million TL, and its long-term debts were 24 billion 316 million TL.

IZSU’S DEBT INCREASED 3 TIMES IN 1 YEAR
The debt of IZSU General Directorate, whose internal and external debt was 5.1 billion TL in 2024, tripled and reached 8.4 billion TL in 2025. It was observed that ESHOT’s total debt reached approximately 9.1 billion TL as of December 31, 2025. The fact that the total debt of the Metropolitan Municipality and its subsidiaries is 80 billion lira caused comments like ‘İZBB is Bankrupt’. According to the report, the district municipalities that received the most investment support from İZBB were Çeşme with 144.4 million TL and Konak with 126.1 million TL. While 39.6 million TL investment support was given to Denizli Bozkurt Municipality, 10.1 million TL resources were transferred to Adıyaman Municipality. The least contribution was received by Karşıyaka, where Tugay was previously president, with 5 million TL.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was a candidate for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor from the Welfare Party in the local elections held on March 27, 1994, finished first with 25.19 percent of the votes and became the president of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Erdoğan’s term as mayor is full of projects that change the texture of the city and improve the quality of life. During Erdoğan’s term as mayor, Istanbul underwent transformation in many areas, from infrastructure to transportation, from green areas to cultural heritage.

HE BROUGHT SOLUTIONS
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was elected Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in the local elections of March 27, 1994, accurately diagnosed and produced solutions to the chronic problems of Istanbul, one of the most important metropolises in the world, with his political talent, the importance he gave to teamwork, and his successful management in human resources and financial matters. During the reign of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, radical solutions were brought to Istanbul’s infrastructure problems. The city’s infrastructure was strengthened by implementing major sewage and water supply projects. Additionally, solutions were produced to Istanbul’s traffic problem with transportation projects such as metro and highway. The Marmaray project was also started during this period.

BRIDGES WERE BUILT
The water problem is solved by laying hundreds of kilometers of new pipelines; The garbage problem was solved by establishing the most modern recycling facilities of the period. While the air pollution problem ended with the natural gas transition projects developed during the Erdogan period, more than 50 bridges, passages and ring roads were built to overcome the city’s traffic and transportation dilemma; Many projects were developed that would shed light on the following periods. During Erdoğan’s term, Istanbul’s green areas were increased and breathing areas in the city were expanded. Hundreds of new parks and recreation areas were created.

HE SAVED ME FROM THIRST
As soon as Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was elected Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, he solved the water problem of Istanbulites who lived through Karbala. He implemented the Melen Project, the largest drinking water supply project in the history of the Republic. Istanbul’s drinking water needs are guaranteed until 2071. Citizens who carry water from tankers with canisters and buckets have access to drinking water thanks to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s projects.

In Izmir, the social balance compensation crisis broke out after the CHP municipalities of Buca and Karşıyaka and in the Bayraklı Municipality. When an agreement could not be reached in the collective bargaining agreement negotiations that had been going on for a while between the Tüm Bel Sen Izmir No. 2 Branch Management organized in the municipality and the employer, civil servants working in various units of the municipality revolted. The action that the officers started on Monday continued on its third day. News of an action also came from Buca. Civil servants in Buca Municipality, who have not received their social balance compensation for 7 months, went on a half-day work stoppage.

WE WILL NOT COMPROMISE OUR RIGHTS
No consensus could be reached in the Collective Labor Agreements carried out between the municipality and Tüm Bel Sen İzmir Branch No. 2 in İzmir’s Bayraklı district. This being the case, the action started last Monday by the Tüm Bel Sen Union Izmir Branch No. 2, organized in the municipality, continued on Wednesday, April 15th. The civil servants, whose social balance compensations were requested to be lowered below the legal limit, protested the decision. Tüm Bel Sen No. 2 Branch President Nihat Filiz said that they will definitely not give up the vested rights that were obtained as a result of great struggles. Stating that they absolutely do not accept imposition in Bayraklı Municipality, Filiz said, “The mayor is trying to withdraw the collective agreement. We definitely do not accept a figure below the collective agreement we signed. This is not the first time, we have been signing collective labor agreements for 33 years. While we were fighting for unions in the 90s, many of today’s laws did not exist at that time. Many of our friends lost their lives while fighting. There is sweat under our collective agreements. From here, I would like to send a message to CHP Bayraklı Mayor İrfan Önal. “We call once again: Do not play with the vested rights of Bayraklı Municipality employees. We have no income other than salaries,” he said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the AK Party TBMM Group Meeting. Erdoğan briefly said the following in his speech:

IT WILL PROVIDE GAS FOR 17 MILLION HOUSES: If our industrialists, producers, farmers, tourism operators and transporters have no concerns about access to energy despite the wars in our region, there is a 23-year effort, struggle and labor behind this. We made the biggest revolution in exploration and drilling activities. We established the world’s 4th largest deep sea fleet. We literally broke the devil’s leg with our discovery in the Black Sea. We currently meet the needs of 4 million households from Black Sea gas. We will increase this number to 8 million households in 2026. In 2028, we will be able to meet the natural gas needs of 16-17 million households from our own resources.

PEACE DESPITE THE ZIONIST REGIME: We see that tensions are rising again in the Strait of Hormuz. As I said before, there is no negotiation with clenched fists. Weapons should not be allowed to speak instead of words again. The Israeli government, which is known to be dissatisfied with the ceasefire, should not be allowed to arson the process. If there will be peace in our region, it will be despite the Zionist regime. If stability is to be achieved in our region, it will be achieved despite the Israeli government acting with the delusion of the promised land.

THEY CANNOT SILENCE THE BRAVE HEARTS: When the slightest hope of peace appears, Israel will try every way to sabotage it, as it has done many times before. It will continue to arrogantly target countries that raise the voice of peace, especially Türkiye and Spain. Hitmen will try to silence those with conscience with their pens, media, and tools they use as apparatus. But no matter what they do, they will not be able to silence the brave hearts or chain the hearts that defend the right and truth. I wholeheartedly congratulate my dear friend Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain, who took a firm stance against the threats of Netanyahu, the butcher of Gaza.

President Erdoğan chatted with the citizens and took a souvenir photo.

BABY MURDERERS WHO AGAINST ME AND OUR COUNTRY: We will continue to call the oppressor ‘cruel’, the bandit ‘thug’, and the murderer ‘murderer’. We will continue to be the screaming voice of the innocent children of Gaza. Unlike those who owe their existence in our geography to someone’s benevolence 100 years ago, we will continue to act with a sense of responsibility in the light of our thousand years of experience in these lands. I would like to remind some facts to the baby killers who criticize me and our country on social media: The Republic of Türkiye is not an ordinary state. No power can point a finger at Türkiye and the President of Türkiye. No one should interpret our meekness and common sense as docile sheep. We see it as the greatest honor to lie honorably underground when necessary, rather than living dishonorably above the ground. As Tayyip Erdoğan, I and all my colleagues are the children of a heroic nation whose National Anthem begins with the cry ‘Don’t be afraid’.

THE ENEMY OF TURKISH, KURDISH AND ARAB IS THE SAME: With every new development, we observe again that the enemies of Turks, Kurds and Arabs are the same, and that the issue is not our ethnic origins, but rather our faith, faith and thousand-year-old brotherhood. In this period when dirty intentions are exposed one by one, the strongest line of resistance as a nation is the terror-free Türkiye process, which is in its 18th month. They ignore the blood of 73 thousand Gazans on their hands and faces and shamelessly slander our country through our Kurdish brothers. We will not fall into this trap. We are of the opinion that we have no unresolved issue as long as we act on reasonable and legitimate grounds under the guidance of our thousand-year-old brotherhood.

THE OPPOSITION IS DOMINANTING OUR NATION TO INCOMPETENCE

I want it to be known that we will work with all our resources to ensure peace prevails in every inch of our region. We are always ready to be the voice of peace and to lead peace efforts with the principle of peace at home, peace in the region, and peace in the world. In this process, we do not forget this reality of our country. Unfortunately, Türkiye, which is making a great breakthrough abroad, does not have a main opposition party compatible with this vision. While the complex opposition against the West embarrasses our country in international meetings, it condemns our nation to incompetence in domestic politics. Türkiye, which is in a period of resurgence in global politics, is unfortunately experiencing a literal interregnum in municipalities governed by the main opposition.

WE ARE STARTING OUR FIRST DRILLING IN SOMALIA WITH ÇAĞRI BEY

Our deep-sea drilling ship Çağrı Bey arrived in this country to start hydrocarbon exploration in the CURAD-1 well off the coast of Somalia. We carried out seismic research in an area of ​​approximately 4,500 square kilometers with our ship Oruç Reis for 7 months and reached promising findings. Now, Mr. Çağrı and I are saying, “What if?”, and hopefully we are starting our first drilling. As I always say, we aim to win together, not to exploit. We wholeheartedly believe that Çağrı Bey will give good news to our Somali brothers.

THE ATTACK STOPPED FIRE IN OUR HEARTS

President Erdoğan made statements regarding the attack in Kahramanmaraş. President Erdoğan made the following statements in his statement on his social media account: “Unfortunately, we lost our bright children and a devoted educator in the armed attack that deeply saddened Türkiye. I pray for God’s mercy on the lives we lost; I offer patience to their grieving families and condolences to our education community. The incident will definitely be brought to light in all its dimensions. As a nation, such an attack, which puts a burning fire in our hearts, will lead to political polemics and political polemics.” “It is a conscientious and moral duty not to be used for ratings concerns. There is no politics in pain. Due to the sensitivity of the incident, I ask all segments of the society, especially our press members, to show the necessary care.” In his statement about the armed attack in Şanlıurfa, President Erdoğan said, “Investigations have been initiated regarding the armed attack at this school, 1 person has been detained, 4 administrators have been suspended from duty. The attack is being investigated in all its aspects. Those who were negligent and at fault in the incident will definitely be held accountable.” ANKARA

PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN MEETS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA

PRESIDENT Erdoğan spoke by phone with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. At the meeting, the leaders discussed Türkiye-Canada bilateral relations and regional and global issues. Erdoğan stated that he attaches great importance to deepening the relations between the two countries and that there is great potential for cooperation in many issues, especially in the fields of energy, defense industry and air transportation. President Erdoğan invited Prime Minister Carney to the NATO Ankara Summit and COP31 Summit to be hosted by Türkiye.