İmamoğlu's reaction to the trustee appointment: Is there a division in the country's administration?

The removal of Van Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Abdullah Zeydan from office and the appointment of a trustee in his place have sparked controversy. Reacting to the decision, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu emphasized that the practice of appointing trustees is contrary to the right to vote and be elected.

With the decision made by the Ministry of Interior, Abdullah Zeydan, who received a 3-year and 9-month prison sentence on charges of "aiding a terrorist organization," was removed from office, and Van Governor Ozan Balcı was appointed as the trustee in his place.

In a statement made on the social media platform X, İBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu stated that the removal of elected officials from office through judicial decisions is contrary to democratic principles.

İmamoğlu used the following expressions in his post:

"It is against the spirit of democracy for individuals whose candidacy was legally deemed appropriate before the elections to be removed from office after being elected through judicial decisions and accusations. The appointment of a trustee to the Van Metropolitan Municipality is one of these wrong practices."

''CONTRADICTORY POLICIES ARE DRAGGING THE COUNTRY INTO CHAOS''

İmamoğlu argued that the trustee decision contradicts the solution-oriented messages of MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, asserting that an image of duality has emerged within the government.

"While on one hand there is talk of a solution process, on the other hand, the voting rights of our citizens of Kurdish origin are being ignored. These contradictory policies bring to mind the question of whether there is a division in the country's administration."

''THE NATION DOES NOT GIVE AN ACCOUNT, IT DEMANDS ONE''

Stating that pressure on the opposition has increased following the government's loss in the elections, İmamoğlu expressed the following:

"It is clearly seen that those who lost the elections are experiencing an outburst of anger. The opposition, non-governmental organizations, artists, workers, and retirees are being pressured. However, it should not be forgotten that the nation does not give an account, it demands one. Public offices are no one's private property. Those who view the public as tenants and think of themselves as the owners of the country have already lost. You cannot get anywhere with oppression."

The removal or arrest of those who were 'in compliance with the conditions shown in the law' before the elections, for some reason, through various judicial decisions and accusations after being elected, is incompatible with democracy. Finally, a trustee has been appointed to the Van Metropolitan Municipality.

Kurdish origin...

— Ekrem İmamoğlu (@ekrem_imamoglu) February 15, 2025

News Source: 12punto