Harmancık Mayor Haşim Ali Arıkan reacts to AK Youth members: 'You don't play politics while forests are burning'

While Turkey has been struggling to combat wildfires for days, incidents that overshadow the disaster and draw backlash are also occurring.

While the remarks by AKP Chairman and President Erdoğan regarding 'opportunists trying to reap political gain from the fires' continue to be debated, this time, the attempt at political gain that Erdoğan criticized came from the AK Youth.

Harmancık Mayor Haşim Ali Arıkan, who reacted to the AK Youth members who gathered in front of the sports hall—which had opened its doors to provide temporary accommodation for those affected by the fire in Harmancık—and attempted to engage in politics on behalf of the AKP there, warned the youth, saying, 'You don't play politics while forests are burning.'

Harmancık Mayor Haşim Ali Arıkan reacted to the AKP members who were present in front of the sports hall, which serves as a temporary accommodation center, wearing their aprons. Arıkan stated, "You don't play politics while our lungs are burning; this is a time for unity, not division."

Harmancık Mayor Haşim Ali Arıkan reacts to AK Youth members:
You don't play politics while forests are burninghttps://t.co/MCIZQRh8pv pic.twitter.com/tvCG1VUokx

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) July 28, 2025

News Source: 12punto