Date set for acting mayor election at Izmit Municipality

The schedule for the election of an acting mayor to replace Izmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet, who was suspended from duty by the Ministry of Interior, has been set. The Izmit Municipal Council will convene on Thursday, July 30, at 15:00 to determine the acting mayor.

In a statement issued by the Kocaeli Governor's Office, it was reported that the meeting would be held in accordance with Article 45 of the Municipal Law. The statement noted that until the election is concluded, the duties of the mayor will be carried out by the first deputy speaker of the Izmit Municipal Council, as per the sixth paragraph of the same article.

Hürriyet had been suspended from duty as part of an investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the Izmit Municipality. Within the scope of the investigation, simultaneous operations were carried out on Monday, July 20, in Kocaeli, Antalya, Kırıkkale, Istanbul, and Ankara.

During the operations, 31 people were detained, including Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet, her husband Murat Hürriyet, CHP İzmit District Chair Gökhan Ercan, municipal executives, and representatives of companies participating in tenders. Of the suspects referred to the courthouse following police procedures, 20 were arrested, while house arrest was ordered for 1 person and judicial control measures were imposed on 9 others.

News Source: 12punto