The 'Istanbul Tulip', which originated in Istanbul and was found and reproduced centuries later by Dutch researchers, has returned to its homeland. The symbolic planting of 1000 Istanbul Tulips, which was gifted to IMM by Arjen Uijterlinde, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Istanbul, President Ekrem İmamoğluIt was held in Emirgan Grove with the participation of . A little boy named Hüma İnal, who celebrated her 4th birthday, accompanied İmamoğlu and Uijterlinde during the planting.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) President Ekrem İmamoğlumet with Arjen Uijterlinde, Consul General of the Netherlands in Istanbul, at Emirgan Grove in Sarıyer. İmamoğlu and Uijterlinde carried out the symbolic planting of the Istanbul Tulip, which was sent from the Netherlands, together with Hüma İnal, who celebrated her 4th birthday in Emirgan Park, in touch with nature with her grandfather. Consul General Uijterlinde, who made the first speech at the symbolic planting ceremony, said:
IN UIJTERLIAN: “TULAS REPRESENT THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN US”
“Today we celebrate the return of the Istanbul Tulip to its home. This project was initiated in 2020 by my previous predecessor, former Dutch Consul General to Istanbul Bart Van Bolhuis. Fortunately, the weather is beautiful today. The tulip, which has actually existed for centuries, has returned to its home centuries later. And it also represents the relations between Turkey and the Netherlands. Diplomatic relations between the two countries, which were established during the Ottoman period for more than 400 centuries, continue. One of the few countries that did not go to war with the Ottoman Empire is the Netherlands. There has been no war between the two countries so far. Therefore, tulips represent friendship and cooperation between us in this sense and are also a reference to it. That's why I would like to thank Mr. Mayor for giving us this opportunity and realizing this project.”
İMAMOĞLU: “CAN THAT MANY MISSIONS BE LOADED ON A FLOWER?”
Expressing his thanks to Uijterlinde, İmamoğlu said, “I hope that this beautiful meeting, as they have just stated, I would like to crown the symbol of friendship, long-standing relationship and cooperation between the two countries with peace. Indeed, such beautiful moves, such beautiful unions can also be a symbol of peace in the world. It can also be the subject of peace. Or it could be the source. You might be thinking, 'Does a flower have such a mission?' But the world can witness such miracles. Today's planting moment, which symbolizes the return of this tulip culture, which has been formed for centuries, with a migration of the tulip, and then again and again, is one of the deepest cultures left to us.”
"THE OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TRANSFER OUR WORLD TO FUTURE GENERATIONS"
Emphasizing that he sees the Istanbul Tulip as a symbol of the opportunities offered by the unique nature of Istanbul, İmamoğlu said, "Conservation of nature, development of greenery, protection and protection of these plants in our world, where the whole world is struggling and which is under great threat with climate change and almost many plant species are starting to disappear. I would like to underline that the transfer of the issue to future generations is an indispensable responsibility of all managers in the world and us. I am here in this aspect. I hope this tradition will continue for centuries. I hope that our journeys, departures, arrivals and meetings will always be with such good feelings.”
THE STORY STARTED IN THE 16TH CENTURY
4 tulip bulbs, which were gifted to IMM on 2021 November 1.000 by Arjen Uijterlinde, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Istanbul, will be planted in Istanbul Square in Emirgan Grove. Istanbul Tulip will meet with Istanbulites in April 2022. The story of the Istanbul Tulip began in the Ottoman gardens in the 16th century. The first to cultivate and popularize this special tulip was Abu Saud Efendi, the Shaykh al-Islam of Suleiman the Magnificent. The tulip, whose traces have been lost in Turkey, is not known to exist in nature. Tulip researchers in the Netherlands found and reproduced the old Istanbul tulip. The Istanbul tulip was brought back to its homeland, Istanbul, centuries later.
“PEOPLE'S BREAD TAILS, THE BIGGEST EXAMPLE OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS”
After planting tulips, İmamoğlu answered journalists' questions about the agenda. The questions of journalists and İmamoğlu's answers to these questions were as follows:
The issue of People's Bread is on the agenda again due to economic problems. The queues in front of him started to get longer and longer. Will there be a change in the prices of People's Bread? Regarding the queues in front of the buffets, "The queue is formed because they are not able to distribute. To give an image, people are there as a mise-en-scene. How do you evaluate these comments?
“Halk Ekmek is one of our affiliates with a high sense of responsibility for us. Here, in particular, there is a view based on solving the needs of the citizen. It will continue its activities with that view. Currently, we are in a position to carry out the process even if it does not save our costs in some way, especially during and at the beginning of the year, especially due to the supply of goods before the hike. But of course, what kind of cost we will face in the next year - of course we think about subsidizing and we do it and we do not hesitate - but how much we can do, what price may come, believe me, it is difficult to predict. Why power? Because we have become a country that experiences such instant and daily price changes that costs cannot be calculated. For example, our institution, which is awarded a tender, is based on a cost defined as 'approximate cost'. And when the tender figure is above or below a certain rate, you give that tender to the other party and you receive goods or services. At the moment, we are calculating the approximate cost, friends, we are making an announcement, when the day of the tender comes, that approximate cost is no longer valid. So that's all, we are in a period where the public and private sector can do hard work and run business. But despite all this, we make the subsidy to protect our citizens. We take all our measures to minimize the cost of bread. We stand with our citizens. We should be. In other words, Halk Ekmek has actually become a barometer of poverty in our country, or a mechanism that measures blood pressure. If we are currently facing an economic problem in the country, one of the queues that unfortunately shows us this in the most painful way is the bread queue. This is a situation we have seen frequently in the economic difficulties Turkey has been experiencing for several years. We are living it right now. I also say to the bad comments made by some people towards this scene, these images that sadly hurt and make us all think, 'People with a blind heart, a blind heart, a blind conscience, a blind person who can speak anything and say anything for politics'. . I can't say anything else. So there is no other recipe. I hope they get rid of that blindness as soon as possible and let their eyes see the truth. Let them comment with facts. Let's support each other. I am hopeless for some people, but I pray for them.”
“LET TÜİK TELL US WHICH FORMULA YOU HAVE”
There are rising exchange rates. There is a new inflation, figure announced. Recently, the highest annual inflation figure was announced as 21,3 percent. In response to these rising exchange rates and inflation rates, do we expect an update or an increase in the prices of the services offered by IMM?
“Sir, we have to. So let me tell you this: Now the minibus driver will carry passengers. If he can't put diesel in his car, how will he carry it? So there is no method for it. In other words, the increase in fuel prices in our country is obvious. Food prices are on the rise. The increase in the price of flour is obvious. We are experiencing a highly depressed economic period that is not related to the announced inflation figures. Indescribable. I am someone who has experienced different crises in my business life for more than 30 years. Currency issue is not just any issue of this country. In other words, if you are a country with a foreign debt approaching 500 billion dollars, especially if you are a country completely dependent on foreign sources for energy, fuel and oil, you cannot say the nonsense that 'I don't care about foreign currency'. You cannot deceive people in this way. All these costs are in our lives. In other words, in an environment that hurts us so much, the money in people's pockets has become so worthless, or in fact, our wages and money have become useless, people are compelled to renew or revalue their prices in order for the wheels of the system to turn. The public has to do this too. Of course, the priority of the public, the priority of the municipalities after all, is, 'Can I subsidize somehow? Where can I keep the lowest' effort will be. But our strength is up to a point. Therefore, unfortunately, those who manage today's economy, the devastation of this exchange rate system, the devaluation of the Turkish Lira… The real inflation is at least 3 times the inflation announced today in this country. So that's very clear. Let them go and look at the difference between the toilet paper they bought a year ago and the toilet paper they bought this year. Let them look at the price of this year's flour, sugar, oil and diesel with the flour they bought a year ago. It's that simple. So they can see this difference in goods and services. I don't need to say. You buy, subtract the difference, return to the previous year and divide, you say, 'We are faced with such a percentage price increase; point.' While the rule of mathematics is so simple, let TÜİK tell us what formula it has, for God's sake, let us relax. For God's sake, tell me. But there is no such formula.
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