District chair who received penalty for illegal construction resigns

AK Party District Chair Adem Serin, who was tried due to a bungalow built without permission in Çamlıhemşin, was sentenced to 3 months in prison by the court. Once his sentence was finalized, Serin announced that he was leaving his post and his party membership. It was learned that Serin would surrender to the courthouse shortly to begin the sentencing process.

Following the resignation within the party, the search for a new name for the AK Party district chair position has begun. It was stated that the headquarters in Ankara has summoned two candidates to the capital to be evaluated.

The Fırtına Valley and Ayder Plateau, located within the borders of Çamlıhemşin, have been on the agenda for a long time due to issues with illegal construction. In particular, numerous bungalows built in violation of zoning regulations and without permits continue to be a subject of public debate.

Approximately two years ago, the AK Party ministers of the time and Rize Governor İhsan Selim Baydaş announced that a legal process had been initiated against unlicensed construction in the region. By the final months of 2025, a decision was made to demolish 180 illegal bungalows in the region. It was reported that some citizens, reacting to this decision, removed their structures using their own means.

In a statement made by the Rize Special Provincial Administration, it was noted that 77 unlicensed structures have been demolished to date in the Fırtına Valley, which is connected to the Ardeşen and Çamlıhemşin districts. However, following public backlash, AK Party Rize Provincial Chair Yılmaz Katmer announced that the demolition operations had been postponed for a while.

Structures in the region that violate zoning legislation and the struggle waged against them continue to be closely followed by both local provincial administrations and the public.

News Source: 12punto