'Letter' crisis in TBB election: İmamoğlu shares the letter that stirred up the room

Imprisoned IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu shared the letter that caused a commotion among AKP members when it was requested to be read at today's TBB elections.

IMM President and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu was also serving as the President of the Union of Municipalities of Turkey (TBB) before his imprisonment. Following İmamoğlu's arrest, Zeydan Karalar served as acting president. When Karalar was arrested, Vahap Seçer took over this duty. The TBB election was held today. Mersin Metropolitan Mayor Vahap Seçer became the CHP's candidate. The AKP nominated Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Mayor Fırat Görgel. The Speaker of the Assembly, Denizli Metropolitan Mayor Bülent Nuri Çavuşoğlu, wanted to read the letter sent by İmamoğlu for the TBB election after describing and criticizing the government's pressure on municipalities. Upon this, AKP members caused an incident. A scuffle broke out after the AKP members stood up. After the tension subsided, the election was completed and Seçer won.

HE SHARED IT SAYING "MY MESSAGE THAT COULD NOT BE TOLERATED"

Ekrem İmamoğlu shared the letter that bothered the AKP members from his presidential candidacy account, saying, "My message that was not tolerated to be read at the Union of Municipalities of Turkey Assembly meeting today." İmamoğlu's letter is as follows:

“Under the difficult conditions our country is in, in line with the interests of our nation, I appreciate the work of our union, which supports local governments with all its existence and determination, and I offer my thanks to you for continuing these efforts.

I hope that this election, held under the extraordinary conditions of the extraordinary period we are in, will be auspicious for our union and our nation.

In a democratic country, the trial of administrators who have come to office with the votes and trust of the people while in detention is not only a serious example of injustice for those individuals. At the same time, it constitutes a highly serious violation of rights and illegality committed against the will of the voters and the democratic legal order, which is difficult to repair.

Opposing such illegality is the duty and responsibility of all local administrators, regardless of which political party they belong to. The same responsibility is not limited to just standing against illegalities; establishing justice, transparency, and accountability in the use of public resources must also form the basis of our local government approach.

In the presidency of the Union of Municipalities of Turkey, to which I was elected with your valuable votes in the previous term, we implemented a systematic, measurable, and auditable distribution mechanism for the first time in many years with the practices we implemented with the principle of “justice, not privilege; equity, not interest.” Our approach and vision are also a concrete expression of a management style that is based on merit, allows for no privileges, and puts equity at the center.

I believe that this understanding, which stands at an equal distance to all local governments, is the most important ground that will reinforce the trust of our citizens. I express my gratitude to our presidents, Mr. Zeydan Karalar and Mr. Vahap Seçer, and all council member mayors who have carried out this relay race with great success with the same understanding and principles. I would like to state once again that despite all the unlawful attempts directed at us, we will not give up serving our nation with this understanding.

I hope that at the assembly meeting to be held today, a decision will be taken unanimously emphasizing the importance of the trial without detention of all our imprisoned mayors and municipal staff for the sake of democracy and national sovereignty.

This historic step you will take will go down in history as a clear expression of our nation's longing for and belief in democracy, justice, and peace.

I wish the Union of Municipalities of Turkey Assembly Meeting to be auspicious for our country and lead to productive work and decisions.”

News Source: 12punto