Remarks by Umut Yılmaz, who switched from CHP to AKP, increase tensions

The November council meeting of the Gaziantep Şehitkamil Municipality witnessed heated debates as Mayor Umut Yılmaz criticized CHP-run municipalities. While Yılmaz targeted the concert expenditures of CHP municipalities, he was met with a reaction from CHP member Mehmet Sucu. Yılmaz's statement, "The Republican People's Party is the party that founded this country, it is the party of our ancestors," was further inflamed by the response from AKP Group Spokesperson Mehmet Haz: "Mr. Mayor, it is not the party of my ancestors."

During the meeting, CHP members criticized the municipal administration based on Court of Accounts reports. CHP's Ersin Atar claimed that the mayor had previously manipulated the Court of Accounts report and stated that there were two main findings and 12 secondary findings in the report. Atar said, "If you claim to have a transparent administration, it is your duty to inform the public."

Mayor Yılmaz responded to the criticisms by focusing on concert expenditures. Yılmaz replied, "We spent 2 million 100 thousand TL for the Gülşen concert, while another CHP municipality spent 30 million TL." Atar responded to Yılmaz by reminding him that the AKP district head had filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office.

CHP's Mehmet Sucu reacted to Yılmaz due to his criticisms of the CHP, stating, "Do not speak of the CHP in this manner; you cannot insult it from here." Yılmaz defended himself by saying, "The Republican People's Party is the party that founded this country, it is the party of our ancestors." Following these words, AKP Group Spokesperson Haz continued the debate by saying, "Mr. Mayor, I apologize, it is not the party of my ancestors."