AK Party reacts to the proposal to change the name of Binali Yıldırım Millet Bahçesi in Kemalpaşa

In Kemalpaşa, Izmir, AK Party Deputy Chairman Recep Tayyip Taslak opposed the proposal of the CHP in the City Council to change the name of the Millet Bahçesi (People’s Garden) built by AK Party Municipality, named after Binali Yıldırım, to Bülent Ecevit. Taslak stated, ‘We do not consider it appropriate to accept such a proposal regarding our late Prime Minister, a statesman who served as the Speaker of our Grand National Assembly. It would be more appropriate for the name of late Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit to be placed in any park or garden that our municipality will build in the future.’
During the AK Party period, the area in Kemalpaşa, which was previously a swamp, was transformed into a Millet Bahçesi covering an artificial lake and a 1-kilometer-long artificial stream in an area of approximately 550,000 square meters, and it was named after Binali Yıldırım, the former Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and Izmir Deputy. Yesterday, in Kemalpaşa Municipality Council, the CHP proposed to change the name from Binali Yıldırım to Bülent Ecevit. AK Party Deputy Chairman and Youth Branch President of the Province, Recep Tayyip Taslak, expressed that they do not find the proposal appropriate, stating, ‘As the People’s Alliance, we categorically reject this proposal. The names of our country’s two most important prime ministers are already in place. We do not find it right to propose such a change about the late Prime Minister who also served as the Speaker of our Grand National Assembly. We firmly reject it. As the Mayor, we want the name of Binali Yıldırım Millet Bahçesi to remain the same.’
CHP Council Member Selçuk Karakülçe said, ‘As important as July 15 is for the AK Party and the People’s Alliance, July 20 is also an important date for the Turkish nation. May Allah grant Binali Yıldırım a long life. His name can be given to other places to be built in the future.’
“It will make Kemalpaşa Municipality look ridiculous”
AK Party Deputy Chairman Recep Tayyip Taslak, responding to CHP Council Member Karakülçe, said, ‘I would like to ask Selçuk bey based on his statement. He said that July 15 is only important for the AK Party. In the coup attempt, 256 citizens were martyred; thousands of citizens were injured and disabled. Our Grand National Assembly was bombed, bridges were closed with tanks and rifles. Isn’t this coup attempt unacceptable for the CHP? Are you trying to imply this here? The name of Binali Yıldırım Millet Bahçesi is already there based on his statement. It would be more appropriate to place the name of the late Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit in any park or garden that our municipality will build in the future. We want this situation to be corrected by showing the will without being sent from the mayor to the commission. Changing the name of Binali Yıldırım, who has served as the last Prime Minister in our country, will make Kemalpaşa Municipality look ridiculous.’
The proposal submitted by CHP Council Members was referred to the commissions.