Cemil Tugay reacts to Minister Kurum over 'Gulf' and rejection: We expect him to take action

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum drew attention to the pollution in the Gulf of İzmir by holding up a water bottle during the ministry's budget negotiations at the Planning and Budget Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), and these images were discussed for a long time.

Kurum had criticized the CHP, which holds the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, by stating that fish were dying in the gulf.

İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay, who has consistently rejected the accusations directed at him by the Ministry, revealed in his latest social media post how the steps they took to reduce pollution in the gulf were blocked by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.

Tugay explained that their request for authority to inspect ships causing pollution was rejected with the following words:

"Our request for authority, which we created to be able to inspect businesses discharging into the Gulf and ships causing pollution, was rejected by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.

We are doing more than our part regarding the cleaning of the Gulf. We also expect the Ministry to do its part. We need to prevent the sources of pollution. We expect the Ministry, which did not grant us authority on this matter, to take action for the Gulf."