Hopa Mayor Utku Cihan gives statement as part of investigation into Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality

As part of an ongoing corruption investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), Hopa Mayor Utku Cihan arrived at the Hopa District Police Department to provide a statement. Before his statement, which lasted approximately 3.5 hours, Cihan was welcomed by Borçka Mayor Ercan Orhan, Kemalpaşa Mayor Erhan Yılmaz, CHP Provincial Chair Orhan Atan, and numerous party members.

Speaking to reporters upon leaving, Cihan said, "I was invited to give a statement by the Financial Crimes Branch Directorate via a phone call recently. Since I am currently serving as mayor and was in Hopa, I requested that my statement be taken in Hopa. This request was accepted. Today, we gave our statement at the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime (KOM) branch. All the questions asked during the statement or regarding the investigation were related to the work and procedures I carried out during my tenure as Head of the Transportation Department at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality between 2019-2020 and 2024. They were all related to work and procedures from the past period.

In other words, there is no process related to my current position, that is, my duty as the Mayor of Hopa. The questions about the IBB were related to tenders at the IBB. We answered the questions with full transparency. As required by our duty, we provided our explanations regarding the tender methods. There were questions concerning the tender methods related to the file in general. I have been trying to perform my duties properly for 15 years, both at the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and now for 2 years at the Hopa Municipality," he said.

Stating, "In the procedures I carry out and in all my work, I try to conduct a process that observes the public interest," Cihan added, "It was like this in the past period, and it will be like this from now on. Therefore, we gave our answers to all questions with a clear conscience. We have completed our statements. This is not just about the procedures we carried out at the IBB on their own. As you know, a process has been ongoing since March 19.

The issue is progressing more as an organized process. Therefore, it is a file related to the process in which Mayor Ekrem is also involved, or will be tried. Similarly, it is a statement taken regarding the work and procedures carried out there. As I said, the issue is a statement taken regarding the files involving 17 of our mayors in Istanbul, primarily Mayor Ekrem. Apart from me, the statements of many of our friends who served at the IBB were also taken this week. A process is being carried out regarding that period. We stand behind every action we have taken. We stand behind every piece of work. As I said, we have advanced processes that observe the public interest. It will be like this from now on. We are at our post," he stated.