Concert brawl at Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Council meeting: AKP members storm the podium

A brawl broke out between council members during the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Council meeting when a concert organized by the Metropolitan Municipality as part of the October 29 Republic Day celebrations was brought to the agenda. Council members engaged in a physical altercation in front of the podium. The session was adjourned as the scuffle escalated.

The first meeting of November, held in the Municipal Council Conference Hall, was chaired by the First Deputy Speaker of the Metropolitan Municipality Council, Ertan Işık.

Speaking at the meeting, AKP Council Member Fatih Ünal stated that Ankara has a serious traffic problem.

Ünal noted that a metrobus system should be built between the Konya and Samsun roads, passing through the districts of Mamak, Altındağ, Keçiören, Yenimahalle, and Çankaya, starting from Kayaş and potentially extending to Gölbaşı.

Stating that this system is low-cost and would be a serious solution to the traffic problem in Ankara, Ünal said, "If we allocate metrobuses here, both traffic will decrease and people will reduce their vehicle usage. I believe that vehicle traffic in Ankara will decrease by 20 percent."

BRAWL ERUPTED

Speaking on behalf of the AKP Group, Group Deputy Chairman Nihat Yalçın said that solutions should be produced for the city's primary problems, namely traffic and infrastructure.

Stating that they learned through shared documents that a budget of 69 million liras was allocated for the Ebru Gündeş concert held on October 29, Yalçın said, "Some friends have engaged in a series of posts until today, saying 'You are lying,' or 'They fear neither God nor man' in all their criticisms. There is a document in front of us. When they saw the documents, they later said, 'Our Mayor Mansur Yavaş has no information about this issue.'"

Yalçın stated that the internal audit unit has launched an investigation and that the public will be informed in detail about the results of the report.

Noting that it was stated that no payment had been made to the relevant company and no invoice had been issued, Yalçın said, "The company may not have issued an invoice. Payment may not have been made either, but this does not change the fact that a 69 million lira contract was made for a one-day concert."

Stating that 71 million liras were paid to the band Mor ve Ötesi this year as part of the May 19 events, Yalçın said, "The ABB management said, 'It was not given for a one-day concert, it was given for a 3-day concert.' Does the fact that it was given for a 3-day concert show that 71 million liras is a normal figure?"

SESSION ADJOURNED

Stating that the amount paid for one day for the Candan Erçetin and Murda concert held on October 29 last year was 80 million 40 thousand liras, Yalçın said the following:

"While Ankara has serious problems such as traffic, public transportation, infrastructure, and cleanliness... Ankara is truly experiencing its worst period in history. Beyond this, insurance premium debts are being announced. Ankara Metropolitan Municipality is in first place among municipalities with insurance premium debts. It has a debt of 8 billion. The Ministry of Treasury and Finance is announcing the list of tax evaders. Ankara Metropolitan Municipality's companies are there. There is a company on every page. We looked today, BUGSAŞ alone has a debt of 600 million liras. While all this is happening in Ankara, the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality has turned into Mansur Yavaş's advertising agency with the hundreds of millions of liras it allocates to concerts. I would like to express with regret. In Ankara, the era of 'eat, drink, and be merry' municipalism has replaced the municipalism of works and services."

Speaking after Yalçın, First Deputy Speaker of the Metropolitan Municipality Council Işık said, "I understand your discomfort, May 19 and October 29. We have held nearly 60 concerts to date, but when the subject is May 19 and October 29, I truly understand your discomfort."

During Işık's speech, a fight broke out between council members in the meeting hall.

Council members engaged in a physical altercation in front of the podium. Following this, the session was adjourned.