Mustafa Balbay : We look after the state

We are on the way to Erzurum… As we approached Yozgat with the first light of the morning, faded advertising signs greeted us. The advertising signs, which seem to have been erected many years ago, have not been renewed, and there are no new advertisements!

Yozgat started with parades named after martyrs. After the sign “Welcome to Yozgat, the land of braves”, the newly built concrete blocks stood like human silos. We turned into the city centre. Before we reached the clock tower, we took a rest at Aynalı Kahve, also known as Amele Kahvesi.

We entered the garden, which is covered with vines and can be looked at. We greeted middle-aged and older workers who came with the hope of finding a job and had their breakfast on their feet. They were also invited to the breakfast table set in three different places. We suggested, “Let’s combine salaries like our hearts,” and they didn’t break it. Erdogan was speaking on TV. The newspaper Calendar was spread on the table. They did not ask about the purpose of our visit before the elections!

After a long time, the issues were opened…

***

We combined 3 tables. We were about 10 people around. The owner of the coffeehouse, Eyüp Köse, revealed the situation from the beginning:

-We vote for the state!

While the majority of those around him approved of him, he pointed to my earthy 70-year-old namesake next to him and called out:

-Look, this is from you!

Mustafa exclaimed:

-Tell me, which one of you, the elder of the family, was not from the CHP.

Upon this statement, 4-5 people started from their great-grandfathers and listed the origins of the CHP. Their pride is:

Every term, there is a minister from our province. Lütfullah Kayalar, Cemil Çiçek, Bekir Bozdağ… Fuat Oktay is also from Yozgat. Now the Speaker of the House will also be from us. Either Bozdag or Oktay!

Again, the truth in their language is this:

In 1983, we had 6 deputies. Now it’s down to 3. There is no chimney, we are shrinking.

They summarized the reason for not voting for Kılıçdaroğlu as follows:

-Cooperation with PKK!

After explaining the situation starting from the 2010s, Eyüp Köse spoke for everyone and answered with self-confidence:

“Mr. Mustafa, we starve, eat sandals, die for the country. This is what we see today!

The bronze-faced İsmail Bey, who joined later, plunged into the conversation with his loud voice:

“I am the founding provincial chairman of Akparti Yozgat. Akparti is a project, but a project of the state. I think all current leaders are making their final choices. Politics will be renewed. Let someone come out and say something new, believe me, I will not say right-leftist and I will vote…”

The young Ibrahim who brought the teas sat a little beside us. He was born in Ankara Mamak, then immigrated to Yozgat. Now there is neither money to migrate nor enough work to stay and live. His goal is to be a contract soldier, not just for work, but for the country! His anger at CHP is as follows:

– He is dealing with UAVs and SİHAs a lot!

Semih Bey, the contractor, also joined the conversation. He came here to recruit workers. Here’s what they said:

“Friend worker became a society. The job doesn’t like it. In Kayseri, a Syrian arranged for 30 Syrian workers. We make them do the construction. I agree with him. I don’t know how much per diem he gives to the Syrians.”

We talked to the shepherds, the peasants

The one who brought the tea changed while he was splitting and eating the finger cake unique to Yozgat on the table. He stood out at first because of his white hair. An earthquake victim from Gölbaşı, Adıyaman. Not too much to comment. His bride was from Yozgat. They came here after the earthquake. Mirror coffee has a small library. The first books that caught my eye were Principles of Turkism, Family Catechism, Naqshbandi, and Imam Hatip Yearbook. The owner of the coffee promised, if I send it, he will put my books.

Adile Naşit and Sadri Alışık posters stood out on the walls. The 2023 calendar was from Atatürk. On the wall opposite the tea room, there were portraits of about 10 clergy in the same frame. “The sheikhs and elders who lived in Yozgat,” said Eyüp Bey.

We talked to shepherds and villagers along the way from Yozgat to Erzurum. In the rural areas of Central and Eastern Anatolia, the “propaganda machine” worked well. It is a smart policy to break the perception instead of promises, even in a tight time!