Award from TMMOB to BTS Chairman Bektaş on behalf of Haydarpaşa Solidarity

The 2020 Environment Contribution Special Award of the UCTEA Chamber of Architects was presented to Hasan Bektaş, the President of the United Transportation Employees Union (BTS), on behalf of Haydarpaşa Solidarity, at the 47th Ordinary General Assembly Meeting.

The speech made by BTS Chairman Hasan Bektaş at the ceremony after receiving the award ŞÖYLE;

This award is for the railroaders, architects, professional associations and associations that have faithfully and stubbornly defend their history, culture and living values ​​for 15 years. This award is for the people of Istanbul, the sensitive people of my country who come to Haydarpaşa from all over the country and even abroad. This award is for Haydarpaşa lovers.

Haydarpaşa Station, which is one of the most important symbols of Istanbul, has been providing transportation service since 1908. In 2004, it was unfortunately attempted to break the connection with trains with various scenarios and withdraw from the station function.

It was precisely in those years that we, the people of Istanbul, established Haydarpaşa Solidarity with their unions, chambers, political parties and associations under the leadership of the Chamber of Architects and the United Transport Workers Union with its 84 components. We have stopped and fought against this plunder for 15 years.

With Haydarpaşa Solidarity, we defended Haydarpaşa with 10-15 people, or even thousands, in order not to make Haydarpaşa forget with its rallies, rallies, sit-ins and various artistic shows.

And every week in snow, winter, heat and cold, we stubbornly said, "Haydarpaşa Gardır will remain at the station".

Yes, Haydarpaşa is now counting the days to meet its trains and passengers.

While I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Haydarpaşa struggle, I would like to state that the great effort belongs to Tugay Kartal in keeping the chain of action lasting for 452 weeks in this struggle. I also respectfully commemorate Haluk Candan, the newspaper we lost during the struggle, and Sami Yılmaztürk, the head of İMO İstanbul Büyükkent Branch.

Haydarpaşa Gardır will remain as a station. "