AKP council members walk toward the mayor: Profanities fly

Tensions flared during the first May meeting of the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Council. As CHP Mayor Mustafa Bozbey attempted to calm the situation, some AKP council members hurled insults at Bozbey and walked toward him.

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AKP council members walk toward the mayor: Profanities fly

The first session of the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality's May Council Meeting took place in the Metropolitan Municipality Council hall. After the group spokespersons finished their speeches, AKP Group Bursa Metropolitan and Yıldırım Municipality Council Member Ömer Faruk Temiztürk took the floor and said, "We watched the footage of Bursa Metropolitan Mayor Mustafa Bozbey dancing the halay on May 1st. While watching that video, I thought of the nearly 2,000 personnel who were laid off."

Upon this, CHP Group Bursa Metropolitan Council Member Emel Duman's remark, "Your uncle works in Yenişehir, why didn't we fire him? We are not firing those who are working," raised the tension.

Some AKP council members who created tension in the council insulted Bozbey and walked toward him.

As the argument escalated again, two CHP members and some AKP members tried to calm the dispute. Following the tension, Bozbey adjourned the session.

Returning to the hall after the break, Bozbey said, "We must never let our human emotions manifest through our discourse and expressions. We earned the appreciation of the people of Bursa in this council in that way. I am saddened by what happened."

During Bozbey's speech, verbal sparring continued between a member who shouted "You get out" and the other side. Party members intervened to try and calm the parties down.

MAYOR BOZBEY MADE A STATEMENT

After the incident, the Bursa Metropolitan Mayor made the following statement on his social media account:

"My dear fellow citizens of Bursa,

Due to the events that took place in our Municipal Council and saddened us, we were unable to take the decisions we needed to take for our Bursa.

Moreover, we heard insults that do not befit our Council and our Bursa. Those who think they are insulting me personally are actually insulting all the people of Bursa.

The people of Bursa elected us and the council members to solve their problems and to build areas where they can live in peace and security in Bursa.

Therefore, my greatest regret is that these events made our council meeting impossible to conduct and forced us to postpone the decisions we were going to make for the people of Bursa.

However, the sun cannot be plastered over with mud.

Despite all these actions, we will continue to solve the problems of the people of Bursa and to make them smile."