CHP's Bilecen, who had Arabic signs removed in Kilis, explains: 'Everyone must look at the same flag'

CHP's Hakan Bilecen, who defeated the AKP candidate by nearly 15 points in the March 31 local elections, became the new mayor of Kilis.

"I HUNG TURKISH FLAGS EVERYWHERE"

Speaking to Hande Zeyrek from Sözcü, Bilecen said they would restore Kilis, which he described as having been "left in the shadow of Gaziantep," to the identity it deserves. Bilecen stated, "I am using the legal authority regarding signs for Syrian shopkeepers. We are having the Arabic signs removed. I said, 'Everyone will comply with what the law says.' I hung Turkish flags everywhere in Kilis. Everyone must look at the same flag." Saying, "We can never hide behind excuses," Bilecen explained his projects as follows:

"I AM A KILIS NATIONALIST"

"Kilis is a city closed off on four sides. I no longer want this city to be associated with smuggling and refugees. I want this city to be known for concerts and festivals. The Hatay Civilizations Choir will come to Kilis on May 3, and Zara will come on May 19. Kilis cuisine is special. I appreciate Gaziantep, but now there is a mayor who is a Kilis nationalist. I am as much of a Kilis nationalist as Fatma Şahin is an Antep nationalist. Everyone will eat Kilis baklava. Pistachios grow in Kilis, but they are called 'Antep pistachios.' We will quickly apply for geographical indications. Our grapes are very famous. Our factory was first privatized and then demolished. By establishing an integrated grape facility, we can sell grape juice, wine, and molasses to the whole world. For this, I established the Kilis Producing Women's Cooperative in Kilis. I value women very much."

"THE PUBLIC LISTENED TO US"

Reminding that Kilis became a province in 1995, Bilecen said, "Since the founding of the AKP, the administration, including the village heads, had been in the hands of the AKP. I saw that Kilis was not being represented well and I wanted to take responsibility. I had no political background, but I worked with friends I have grown up with since I was 5 years old, who are now prominent figures in Kilis. They didn't have a political background either, but because they are people loved and respected in society, the public listened to us.

Kilis has a 70 percent right-wing demographic. There was an electorate that had forgotten how to vote for the CHP. We spoke in a language that every segment could understand, and we won," he said. Stating that nearly 250,000 to 300,000 people live in Kilis, Bilecen expressed the difficulty of the situation by saying, "122,000 of them are Turkish citizens. There are 80,000 registered Syrians. The rest are transient Syrians. The municipality has a budget for 120,000 people, but we are providing services to over 250,000 people."

AKP MEMBERS HAD THEIR MOTHERS HIRED

Like many municipalities that passed from the AKP to the CHP, Hakan Bilecen first posted Kilis's debts in the public squares. Explaining that there has been a long-standing practice of 'ATM workers' (ghost employees) in Kilis, Bilecen emphasized the following:

"The best thing the AKP did for Kilis is the municipal building. The parks, streets, and public buildings are neglected, but the municipal building is perfect. The municipality's debt is 502 million TL. If you consider that we have a monthly income of 45 million TL, this is my 1-year budget. A municipality can have debt; you provide services, build infrastructure, renovate buildings, and you have debt. But these people neither worked nor paid their debts. Too many workers were hired. We are paying too many salaries. There are many people who receive salaries without coming to work. People at every level of the ruling party in Kilis have had themselves and even their mothers hired by the municipal company. They still appear to be working. Kilis is a small place, everyone knows, but an AKP provincial executive appears as a worker in the municipality. They don't do any work but receive a salary. One of the AKP district executives appears as a worker in the parks and gardens department. A man who works as a contractor is 10 times wealthier. But he receives a minimum wage from the municipality's company. His mother receives a minimum wage. I warned them, I gave them a one-month deadline and said, 'please resign.' If they don't, I will fire them. But I am trying to get them to leave with dignity. They have been receiving salaries for years, should we also pay them severance?"