Unfortunately, we speak with our preconceptions. We are not properly following up on the case as we should. As a result, we miss the actual truth. For example, when I see analyses saying, "The actor of February 28, Şevki Yılmaz, is back," I think to myself, "He was already here." How so? Let me explain...

As you know, there was the wedding of Berna Osmanoğlu, the fourth-generation granddaughter of Abdulhamid II, and Yiğit Onur Kaya. Among those who witnessed the marriage were İlber Ortaylı and Şevki Yılmaz. During the ceremony, Yılmaz, who took the microphone, said, "I curse those who ended the Ottoman Empire."

İlber Ortaylı, criticized for appearing in the same frame as Yılmaz, said:

"I am not among those who believe that the activities of those who dare to dispute with Atatürk, the Republic, and the commanders of the Independence War are driven by a curiosity in history or even ideology; their motives are different."

Was Professor İlber right? If so, what could these other motives be? Have you heard of MİKAV? It's the acronym for the Spiritual and Economic Development Foundation. Şevki Yılmaz founded this foundation in 1994 while he was the Mayor of Rize. After leaving Turkey following February 28, Şevki Yılmaz returned when the AKP was established and revived MİKAV. The foundation's new headquarters became Kocaeli. Naturally, the AKP government recognized MİKAV as a "foundation working for the public benefit" and thus exempted it from taxes.

YILMAZ'S MEN IN THE JUDICIARY

So, what did Şevki Yılmaz do under the umbrella of that foundation, which is claimed to work for public benefit? For example, he opened schools under the name "Nadide Educational Institutions." He gathered children from preschool to university under its wing. They described their mission as follows: "Changing societies depended on changing individuals. It was possible to raise moral and conscious generations by siding with justice against oppression and with compassion against hatred."

The question was: What were the "generations" raised by Şevki Yılmaz supposed to do? Looking for the answer, I examine the first issue of the high school magazine "Kalem & Kelâm" of Nadide Schools. The magazine starts with an interview of two high school students with Şevki Yılmaz. Here's how Şevki Yılmaz describes the schools he founded:

"We gave this name so that everyone would take the students of Nadide schools as an example. Along with the schools, we opened the Nadide Student Dormitory in İzmit for university students. Today, we have many teachers, prosecutors, district governors, Supreme Court and Council of State experts, thank God. We saw its blessing." Isn't that striking?

Şevki Yılmaz was telling high school students about his prosecutors and district governors, and the men he "saw the blessing of" in the high courts. And here we are, calling for "the prosecutors for Şevki Yılmaz to take action"... Such irony!

In the same interview, look at what Şevki Yılmaz was saying to high school students about Atatürk's principles and reforms: "Devils and their allies do coups, i.e., revolutions. Only God can make a real revolution. Revolution means the turning of hearts. Who and what power other than our Lord can turn our hearts to Islam? Someone's principle and revolution are utterly ridiculous. Humans cannot set principles; only God can."

'TOMORROW'S PAIN MIGHT BE YOURS TO BEAR'

Let me add a comma here. Look at what Kadir Öztonga, a member of the Saadet Party council of Kocaeli Başiskele Municipality, had said about Yılmaz and his foundation:

"He does this under the guise of a foundation, saying it's 'for the public benefit,' but no, this man is running a private school. And he charges more than other private schools. He's doing business, not doing anything for the public benefit. I compare it to a structure like FETÖ. You gave whatever FETÖ wanted before, now you give whatever this man wants. Both you and the metropolitan municipality are providing all sorts of support, tomorrow you might bear the pain."

It doesn't end there...

Şevki Yılmaz didn't just dip his hands into education under the MİKAV umbrella. He also had a company called "Nadide Tourism"... Through this company, he organized tours to Mecca.

I won't remind you of his son being an AKP deputy, his son-in-law being the director of the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning in Sakarya, the recreational area allocated to him in Kocaeli, or his saying "there is a hadith that assures victory on April 16th" for the presidential referendum. The list goes on.

As I said at the beginning: Şevki Yılmaz never left to make a return..