AKP mayor defends 'barbecue party': 'We aren't going to serve roasted chickpeas'

A sucuk barbecue party was held at the promotional ceremony for the Erciyes High Altitude Camp Center, organized by the AKP-run Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality. The barbecue party, which was also attended by Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak and AKP's Hulusi Akar, drew widespread criticism.

The people of Kayseri are longing for sucuk and pastırma, while the government is busy with luxury and pleasure… pic.twitter.com/JVBnPfkzf7

— Av. İdris Şahin (@avidrissahin) September 21, 2024

DENIED IT DESPITE THE FOOTAGE

AKP Kayseri Metropolitan Mayor Memduh Büyükkılıç made a statement regarding the issue. Despite the emerging footage, Büyükkılıç denied that they held a barbecue party, stating that they had organized three programs last week and that they provided refreshments at such events to promote Kayseri products.

"As we do at every opening, we served sucuk both to promote our Kayseri products and to offer refreshments," said the AKP's Büyükkılıç, continuing as follows:

"We all saw together that our Ministers did not even take a single bite during the sucuk service. If anyone claims otherwise, let them bring the camera and we will see it there, and we can all say 'they were right.' Later, as will be remembered, we also served sucuk and dessert to our citizens who attended the groundbreaking ceremony for our Alzheimer's center.

Yesterday, international half-marathon races were held in our Kayseri, with tens of thousands of our citizens participating. There, too, we served sucuk to all participants in the same way at Republic Square. What is our goal? What comes to mind when you think of Kayseri? Sucuk, pastırma, and manti. We aren't going to serve roasted chickpeas, are we? In that respect, we carry out these activities in more or less all our events with this understanding."

Büyükkılıç stated that no money came out of the municipality's pocket for these refreshments, thanking the Kayseri Commodity Exchange and the tradespeople who supported them.

"CHEAP POLITICS"

Stating that they try to promote Kayseri's products at every opportunity, Büyükkılıç said, "I condemn those who try to wear us down and wear down our ministers by engaging in cheap politics, claiming 'they are holding a sucuk party' over this. I also found it very unbecoming for a Kayseri Member of Parliament to try to exploit us politically and put us in a difficult situation at such an event where we are promoting Kayseri's products, by following the lead of others."

WHAT HAPPENED?

The AKP-run Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality had organized a promotional ceremony for the Erciyes High Altitude Camp Center.

Footage of AKP members having a sucuk barbecue party became a hot topic on social media. Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak and Hulusi Akar had also attended the event.

In the footage, Minister Aşkın Bak was seen taking charge of the grill and calling out, "Bring the bread, Derya, these are ready. There is fish, there is anchovy too. Turn them so they don't burn."

The fact that government members were holding a barbecue party during a period when citizens are struggling with the cost of living drew criticism.