As you know, we have gone through a month filled with serious traumas and challenging situations. The events initiated by our citizens who are sensitive to nature and the environment, and later unfortunately dragged into different channels, led to the emergence of sad and undesirable situations at the national level. The image of Turkey, which has been the shining star of recent years with its stable growth and economic and democratic reforms, suffered wounds that are difficult to repair globally. In these days when we hope to heal the pains of the past thirty years and embrace each other fraternally, witnessing sharp divisions is disheartening and has caused deep wounds in our hearts beyond the financial losses we experienced during this process. Despite everything, we have not lost our belief in unity, peace, brotherhood, and common sense, and we sincerely believe that these difficult days will pass, and happy tomorrows will dawn upon us.
As Laleli, while contributing to our country’s foreign trade for decades, we have also aimed to increase our social peace and welfare, boost our tourism strength, contribute to the promotion and development of our country. Moving in this context, I think we, as Laleli, best understand and comprehend the value of the level we have reached on a global scale. While the developed countries of the world struggled with financial crises and structural problems, we experienced the pride of record growth. While our surroundings were torn apart by wars and destruction, we were the giving hand, not the receiving one. We developed, strengthened, grew, and became the voice and breath of the oppressed and the poor. Today, Turkey has become a country that looks hopefully to the future with its dynamic and stable structure, which works and functions with its wheels and dynamics. Of course, democratic demands and expectations should be freely voiced, and there should be no obstacle to this right. I think the overwhelming majority in our country agrees on this issue. Also, nature, the environment, and green issues are the most sensitive subjects for us. Let us not forget that we are the followers of a prophet who said, “Even if the end of the world is upon you and you have a seedling in your hand, plant it.” In this context, what we witnessed during the expression of these demands has truly touched our hearts in every sense. It is obvious that extremism and a conflict environment will not contribute to our country, just as it did not in the past. The essential thing is for people to listen to each other, try to understand, and show respect for different opinions. Unfortunately, what happened does not suit our country. The damage to public property will eventually affect us, and the damaged image of our country will cause significant losses in tourism and trade, and consequently, for workers and employers. The 76 million people who are intertwined like flesh and nail should no longer experience these scenes, and we should not make the distant oppressed people in the corners of the world, who watch us with sorrowful and anxious eyes, experience this grief. It is time to forget the pains and embrace the future, a time to heal wounds with understanding instead of conflict, love instead of estrangement, and democracy instead of confrontation. Turkey has no single moment to lose now. If Turkey loses, we all lose. If our country loses, the hopeful nations who have placed their hopes in us lose. Let’s erase the past, promote understanding instead of fighting, love instead of estrangement, and democracy instead of conflict in our country. With these wishes, I invite our valuable people to reason and offer my respects with the hope that dark scenarios will stay away from our country.
Giyasettin Eyyüpkoca.
