Transcription
Hello everyone. I offer my respects and wish you beautiful days. The NATO 78 July Ankara summit is an important summit. Ankarans are, of course, in great distress. Ankarans are in distress. Because now, truly, the main roads are closed. The roads leading to the main roads are closed. Detentions continue. The Parliament, as you know, is taking a 3-day break, a recess. The break we call it, you know, it's not convening due to the NATO summit, etc. We gave these kinds of things in great detail in yesterday's broadcast. However, on the other hand, topics that will change world politics are being discussed. The contradiction is here, the contradiction in Istanbul, meaning in Ankara, while this summit is convening, all Western leaders have come to Ankara, you know, to show ourselves stronger to Russia, China, Iran, etc. While discussing this, in Istanbul, three hearings at once, whose? Ekrem İmamoğlu's. Ekrem İmamoğlu's three hearings at once, on the same day, at almost the same times. The espionage case started at 10 o'clock. Then the diploma case started at 11 o'clock, and the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Case also started at 11 o'clock. Ekrem İmamoğlu had warned. He had even requested from the court panel. He had said, "I have other cases on the same day. Don't schedule me for today." If it's the 9th, since this case is named the Ekrem İmamoğlu criminal organization, let me make the final defense. Because the court panel had announced a date of July 9th. We covered this in our previous broadcasts. We discussed it with you, as you know. The court panel did not listen. In fact, when Ekrem İmamoğlu objected to this, they removed him from outside the courtroom. Because is the date of July 9th God's command? To say it in the sense of, is there a mobilization? Is it an operation? Ekrem İmamoğlu had said. Upon this, the court removed him from the hall. Then other incidents occurred. They themselves also left the hall. That's where it ended. Now, the hearing is starting again, but Ekrem İmamoğlu is attending three hearings at once on the same day. In the same place, in Silivri, you know, we boast that it's one of the world's largest courthouse prisons. Pardon, one of the world's largest prison courthouses. There, he's moving from hall to hall. He even entered this espionage case. He said something. He said, "I will go to the other hall. There's the diploma case, etc." That one was also postponed to December 25th, by the way. The diploma case to December 25th. So, the signs are that they won't let Ekrem İmamoğlu go free, it seems. There's something like that. But voices are also rising against this in the world. For example, the network of European municipalities, municipal associations, meaning there are Balkan municipalities, there are free municipalities, there are those, there are these, they collectively issued a statement and asked the NATO leaders, the other, meaning, Western European NATO leaders, to raise Ekrem İmamoğlu's situation with Erdoğan during their meetings and at the summit. Then, in Germany, the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as you know, heads a coalition government. He is a Christian Democrat, but the Social Democrats are also coalition partners. They said, "Definitely bring up the issues of the rule of law and human rights violations in Turkey." We don't know if he will bring it up or not. Previously, as you know, the European Parliament had a scathing report regarding human rights violations and rule of law violations in Turkey, and they even went as far as demanding the resignation of the Minister of Justice, Akın Gürlek. Now, Sanchez Amor, who wrote that report, was among those observing the trial in Silivri. He also called on the leaders to raise this issue. Now, there's a situation. I will try to make a realistic assessment. What is the main issue here? The main issue of the NATO summit is more about budget sharing. How do they say it? A stronger NATO, a stronger Europe, European countries, money in their pockets. America said, Trump came and said, "Friends, for so long, you know, this second term 2.0 NATO, post-Cold War, a beautiful welfare society. You became a welfare society. Because we undertook your defense. Now, let's see, you will also contribute to the defense budget, the military budget." That will be discussed. What will this be for? Now, this is what's being discussed, the military budget. We will go into the details, but what is it for? Now, NATO's surrounding countries are shifting to the center. These include countries directly close to Russia like Norway, Poland, Romania, and Turkey. Especially Turkey. Because it's not just the Russia-Ukraine war and Black Sea security that's at stake. There's Iran, the Caucasus, Syria, Iraq. Then there's the Eastern Mediterranean, Israel. Israel. Therefore, many issues that fall within NATO's threat perception have Turkey as the sole interlocutor. This, in turn, moves Turkey from that surrounding country, from that outpost position, to the center. It has moved to the center. We are now talking about a functional center, not a geographical center. Indeed, for example, there's a plan to establish a second NATO rapid response corps, you know. We've mentioned this in previous broadcasts. Where is the first corps now? We already have a corps. The 3rd Corps headquarters in Istanbul. NATO rapid response unit command center, NATO 3rd Corps of the Turkish Armed Forces in Istanbul, in Maslak, as you know. Then, another one is being established. That's for peacetime. Under the command of a Turkish general, therefore, a lieutenant general, the 6th Corps in Adana will enter the NATO command chain in wartime. Such planning is being done. What's its characteristic? The 6th Corps in Adana is on the Syrian border. Now we come to the reason for this NATO summit. We said, why is there such an increase in budget? Because NATO's sphere of influence, even if not its geographical borders, is expanding. Its sphere of influence is expanding. For example, the Black Sea region has now become special, and Turkey is the guardian of the Black Sea thanks to the Montreux Convention of 1936. Turkey is the guardian of the Black Sea. There's Iran. Israel and America are attacking. The war is still not over. What will happen to Iraq is uncertain. Syria is being gathered with regime change, and let's immediately state something important. Trump in Ankara, so far, apart from bilateral meetings with only three leaders that are certain. The leaders talking to each other on their feet within the NATO hall or talking in a corner, those always happen. Those always happen. But the planned bilateral meeting is, of course, with President Tayyip Erdoğan. Besides him, he will meet with two leaders who are not NATO members. One is Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine, who is also invited. Then, the second is Syrian President Ahmet Shah. Now, some are surprised, asking what's happening. But Syria is truly involved enough to be invited to a NATO meeting. Not only that. For example, four Gulf countries are also invited. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, they are also invited. Erdoğan invited them. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is invited. By the way, whether to laugh or cry, we don't know what will happen, but let me give you some news. The Israeli press is in an uproar today. Viewers can see it. The Israeli press says, "How could Erdoğan not invite Benjamin Netanyahu? How could Trump not pressure him? Why aren't you inviting Netanyahu?" Should we call this shamelessness? I don't know. We probably should call it shamelessness. They are very upset. Israelis are wondering why they weren't included in the NATO summit in Ankara. Why, you ask? Here's another question we're asking "why." Let me say it in parentheses. A leaked piece of information from a Justice and Development Party meeting says that Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin addressed AK Party deputies, saying, "The War of Independence will no longer be called the War of Independence. It will be called the National Struggle." Well, the National Struggle is also good. Why won't it be called the War of Independence? Because, the Minister said, it's not coming from his own mouth. We are hearing it from the mouths of AK Party deputies. "What are we getting rid of?" he said. Well, Mr. Minister, Minister of National Education, if you are asking what we are getting rid of, you should look at the Treaty of Sèvres map. At the Treaty of Sèvres map. Then, in all the places, you know, in the General Staff and elsewhere, there are maps. They are everywhere. They are also in history books. Look at where the occupying armies, after the Armistice of Mondros, occupied. Look at where the Greek, Armenian, French, British, Italian armies occupied, and you will see what we need to get rid of. Can something like this happen? Why? What are we getting rid of? Previously, there was a giant Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire had surrendered. Is history being distorted this much? I don't think Yusuf Tekin doesn't know this. Is history being distorted this much? It's like the same thing, you know, Israel asking "Why aren't we invited to the NATO summit?" Let's ask the Palestinians. Let's ask the Gazans. Let's ask the Lebanese. Let's ask those in the occupied Syrian territories, why? So, there are such things. We continue. There are European Union representatives at the Ankara summit. Because Turkey's main issue, Erdoğan himself said it clearly. What did he say? "We are enduring so much hardship. We are undertaking the burden of Europe's defense. But we are not getting anything out of it. Europe still sees us as a doormat. You know, wait for your turn, don't let migrants come. Oh, Russia, Syria, Iraq, let's stay away from there. Yes. But we can't give you a visa. We can't even have a customs union. Why? There's Cyprus. You incorporated Cyprus. Then there's that, they say no, etc. It's truly a situation that's falling apart. On both sides, on both sides, all previous progress in Turkey, all steps towards democratization made in line with European Union reforms, have been reversed one by one. You see, while summits are being held in all NATO countries, there are protest demonstrations. What's happening? They are protesting too. They say no to NATO. You know, they say France should leave NATO, or Belgium should leave NATO. Let them say it. That's their opinion. As long as they don't resort to violence, let them say it. What's the problem? It's not happening in Turkey. You know, a demonstration was held in Kızılay yesterday, a "No to NATO" demonstration. Arms and legs were broken, over 100 people were detained. What is this, really? What is this? So, there's a situation like this on one hand. On the other hand, let's say the NATO member countries, will Chancellor Mert of Germany bring it up? When there are defense expectations from Turkey, when there are other expectations, when they want Turkey to do other things, or to demand, I misspoke. Will they say, "We want you to do this, but why have you imprisoned Ekrem İmamoğlu?" I don't know. I don't know. Because the fear of Russia has enveloped Europe so much that they can't get out of it. Now, look, a defense industry fair will be held tomorrow, the 7th. This will be the largest arms forum held so far. I said fair, forum. That will happen. Mark Rutte, the Secretary General, NATO Secretary General, he says, billions of dollars in arms deals will be made. By the way, I might also attend a meeting there with industrialists, meaning arms industrialists from NATO member countries, after the forum meeting. I'm not saying it definitively until it's confirmed. A lot of news can come to you from there. You know, this NATO accreditation, Burhanettin Duran, Head of Communications, said they issued over 2500 accreditations. Okay, that's true. But including myself, I hadn't received a response yet. When our friends started receiving responses, you know, all journalist associations, like the Turkish Journalists Association, Journalists, the Contemporary Journalists Association, the Association of Diplomacy Correspondents. We all said in one voice, "What a disgrace." Then others got involved, it seems. International journalistic organizations, diplomatic circles. What happened? Then we also quickly received our "yes" in that wave. I don't know if I would have received it like my other friends who received a "yes" if we hadn't raised our objections, but we received it. We will try to do justice to it. Now, that's a separate matter. But as I said, expectations from Turkey are high. Defense expectations from Turkey are high. Defense industry expectations are high. Keep the borders tight against Russia, Iran, Iraq, etc. Expectations are high. So, what happens in this situation? There's so much that they have an attitude of "we don't care." You look at very critical cases, all of them. Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, is being tried. You see, three hearings are scheduled for almost the same time on the same day. It's as if they're saying, "It's okay if you don't defend yourself, or defend yourself later, what can we do?" Within this picture, there's something else important, and that is, it should be said. For the last few days, MİT President İbrahim Kalın has been having contacts in Iraq. He's been in contact with both Baghdad, the Iraqi government, and the Kurdish groups there. Upon his return today, something interesting happened. Mehmet Uçum, the President's chief legal advisor, made a statement after these contacts. He wrote an article for the Anadolu Agency. In it, he says, "Yes, this law will pass parliament by the end of July. Because," he says, "the point of no return has been passed." I believe this should be evaluated in conjunction with the recent contacts İbrahim Kalın made in Iraq, although no one else is saying this. The DEM Party is preparing to say something these days. I'm hearing things like that. I'm not very sure if it will coincide with the NATO summit, but parliament will reconvene on July 14th, I believe. Yes, on July 14th. Let me quickly check the calendar. On July 13th-14th, the general assembly will start working again. In the second half of July, we will experience days full of these international developments, in connection with the Middle East, and also separately with the process of a Turkey without terrorism. Around the same dates, in the Republican People's Party, will the cat be let out of the bag? Should we say that? Will Özgür Özel announce the new party? Will Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu give up and perhaps declare an extraordinary convention? What does extraordinary convention mean? I apologize. That, that extraordinary convention, will he declare it? All those days will be determined. So, around the 20th, the 26th, those days will be important for the Republican People's Party and for the opposition in general. We are living through very hot and active days. Such days are usually pregnant with chaos and surprises. Good surprises, bad surprises, we can't say anything yet. We can't say anything now, but where Trump is, anything can happen. Look, now, on the one hand, political gossip is looking at, isn't it? What will happen with Trump and Meloni's exchanges? There seems to be a lot of material. I hope it will be for the best for Turkey. For the Turkish people. I hope to be with you again in a new broadcast. Goodbye. Yeah.