TKP protests Onur Emrah Yıldız in front of Çiğli Municipality: Call for resignation and petition campaign

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) Çiğli District Organization held a protest in front of Çiğli Municipality to express their reaction to Onur Emrah Yıldız, who joined the AKP after being elected mayor from the CHP.

TKP Çiğli District Chair Çağlar Özkan read the press statement during the protest. Describing Yıldız's party switch as a "usurpation of the people's will," Özkan stated that he should resign from his mayoral post.

Reminding that the TKP prepared for the March 31 local elections with the slogans "We Will Get Rid of the Zübüks" and "Çiğli Is Not For Sale," Özkan argued that the main issue in municipal administration is who public resources are used for.

"We are here against the transition of a mayor, who was elected from one party with the votes of the people of Çiğli, to a party that sells cities plot by plot today and plunders public resources. For us, it did not matter which party emblem the zübüks entered the election with."

Stating that the municipality's justification of insufficient resources is unacceptable, Özkan expressed that Çiğli has resources and that those responsible for the use of public resources in past terms should be held accountable. Noting that services are produced in municipalities governed by the TKP despite similar conditions, Özkan explained the way to achieve this with the words "by not stealing."

The statement alleged that contractors' demands have been met without delay since Yıldız took office. Criticizing the understanding of municipalism through zoning permits, floor permits, and licenses, Özkan argued that it is more important which interests the mayor prioritizes than which party they belong to.

PETITION CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED

Following the press statement, the TKP Çiğli District Organization announced that it has launched a petition campaign demanding the resignation of Onur Emrah Yıldız. The party organization stated that the campaign aims to uphold the will of the people of Çiğli.

At the end of his statement, Özkan said that Yıldız's departure from the party he was elected from to join the AKP is not legitimate. Stating, "Onur Emrah Yıldız must resign immediately and vacate that seat," Özkan added, "We will not leave Çiğli to the zübüks; we will be breathing down the necks of the zübüks."