AKP Mayor excludes Atatürk from 100th-anniversary posters

The Republic of Turkey is celebrating its 100th anniversary today. While debates continue regarding the government's failure to show sufficient care for Republic Day celebrations, the celebratory posters hung by AKP Mayor of Elazığ Şahin Şerifoğulları have drawn backlash.

POSTERS WITHOUT ATATÜRK HUNG ALL OVER THE CITY

The AKP-run Elazığ Municipality, which hung posters for a book fair to be held between October 28 and November 5—attended by AKP Istanbul Deputy Hulki Cevizoğlu and pro-government writers—on many billboards in the city, chose to prepare the celebratory posters for the 100th anniversary of the Republic without Atatürk. The posters, which only featured a photograph of Mayor Şahin Şerifoğulları, were hung all over the city.

“AS IF HE FOUNDED THE REPUBLIC HIMSELF”

According to the report in Sözcü; Zafer Party Elazığ Provincial Chair Onur Omrak, who reacted to AKP Mayor Şerifoğulları's failure to include Atatürk's picture on the celebration posters, stated: “While celebrating the 100th anniversary of our Republic, we see with sadness that instead of the savior of our homeland, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who gave his name to Elazığ, we see the picture of the Elazığ Mayor on the billboards as if he founded the Republic himself. We condemn this mentality that hides behind Atatürk's values when it suits them. The mayor, who uses municipal resources and budget to advertise on billboards for election campaigns, does not include the founder of our Republic in the visuals. The people of Elazığ will protect the Republic and its values and will give the necessary response at the ballot box. Long live the Republic, Long live Atatürk”.

News Source: 12punto