CHP municipality makes a promise: "4-course meal will be 80 TL"

Erkan Aydın, who became the first CHP Mayor of Osmangazi Municipality in the March 31 local elections, made evaluations regarding the activities they have carried out since March 31, the projects they plan to implement, and the municipality's 'ATM employees' (ghost employees).

Aydın spoke as follows:

"Osmangazi was established as a central municipality in 1987. For the first time in 37 years, it is a municipality won by the Republican People's Party (CHP). We saw the fruits of our three terms as a member of parliament, our third candidacy for mayor, and our constant connection with the public on the evening of March 31. Thank goodness, our fellow citizens living in Osmangazi showed their favor and enabled us to win this place with a nine-point margin. We are working constantly from the early hours of the morning until late at night to be worthy of them, producing projects, and organizing events. There is a municipality here that has been managed by the AK Party for 20 years. In general, we are fighting for the atmosphere in Osmangazi to change, for people to breathe, and for the mindset to change.

4-COURSE MEAL FOR 80 LIRAS

When they asked, 'What will you do when you first arrive,' we said, 'We will change the mindset.' We have started this work of changing the mindset. Within this change of mindset, we are carrying out projects related to our youth, women, children, disadvantaged groups, the disabled, and the elderly living in Osmangazi. Next Wednesday, we will lay the foundation for our first nursery. If there is no setback, we will have it ready by the September term. It is being built entirely with the contributions of a philanthropist. We are doing it without a single penny coming out of our municipality's treasury. Besides this, we have met with philanthropists and allocated several places for a girls' dormitory. We will likely sign a protocol for a girls' dormitory soon. We will lay the foundation for a sports club, complete its construction in a short time, and bring the building to the city. The following week, we will open the Public Restaurants and offer our citizens a four-course meal for 80 liras. Our tradesmen should not misunderstand; it will be open between 11:00 and 15:00, not all day. We are not doing this to compete with them, but only to serve our low-income citizens. Later, we will open a Youth Cafe, where we will provide a space with very affordable coffee, tea, free internet, free soup for our university students every evening, a library, and areas where they can study."

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE 'ATM EMPLOYEES'?

Speaking about whether municipal resources from previous periods were transferred to sects and foundations in Osmangazi, where they are densely located, Aydın said, "With the reports and complaints we receive, if our properties were not evaluated properly and were given away without receiving their due rights and value, we are sending letters to the relevant places regarding those we have identified. Ultimately, these places are not the property of the municipality, but of the public. Therefore, it is our duty to ensure that this trust is served properly. We are carrying out the necessary work in every place under our jurisdiction regarding the identified locations."

Providing information about the situation of 'ATM employees' (ghost employees) in Osmangazi Municipality, which has emerged in municipalities won by the CHP, Aydın said, "We are also working on that. As you would appreciate, it is not very easy to determine who is an ATM employee and who is not. Because you have to do a fair job here. You have to do what is necessary without playing with people's bread, but also if there is someone working without deserving it. It is a sensitive process. That's why we are not in a hurry. Let's make the right determination, let's not play with anyone's bread for nothing. But if there is someone working without deserving it, without working, without putting in effort, of course, we will do what is necessary regarding them."