Tunç Soyer explains why he did not join Cemil Tugay's election campaign! Reproachful words for the CHP...

Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer, who was not re-nominated by the CHP for the March 31, 2024, local elections, evaluated his 5-year term in office.

Stating that 27 thousand 271 people were employed in municipal companies when he took office in 2019, Soyer noted that this number has risen to 34 thousand 239.

Touching upon the municipality's debts, Soyer noted that the debt was 5 billion lira in March 2019 and reached 25.7 billion lira as of February 2024, stating that the debt had decreased by 3.4 percent in Euro terms.

Addressing why he did not join the election campaign alongside CHP's Izmir Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate Cemil Tugay, Soyer stated the following:

"Ultimately, I was not nominated. Moreover, statements were made suggesting that I was unsuccessful in the polls. Even the Chairman recently made a statement saying, 'there were some problems in the past' and so on. Therefore, for a mayor who is considered 'unsuccessful'—for a mayoral candidate who is described as 'spotless'—to be by his side would only harm him. There is a limit to the work I can do for the CHP in a place where I am considered unsuccessful. I mean, I try to do this by pushing as much as I can. I will do my best until the last minute. But expecting me to take responsibility for this is now unfair. A political will was exercised. That political will had its preferences. We will all see how those preferences turn out at the end of the week. But to both not nominate me and expect me to win this, that is not fair."

"THE CHANGE SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED AFTER APRIL 1"

Stating that his conscience is clear regarding his term in office, Soyer remarked, "If any of you are going to ask if I am a candidate for the chairmanship, all of these things are possible, but that is not my concern. I will continue to work for this country."

Responding to journalists' questions, Soyer recalled that in the text he shared on June 22, titled 'Izmir Stance' before the CHP Congress, he said "there is a need for change," and added, "But this change should have happened after April 1. I saw that I was wrong here. The congress process produced a result that reconciled the party with its voters. But the other part turned out to be true, meaning there would be great turmoil and chaos in the party. This would not be right while heading into an election. Therefore, I am still at that point. I wish this congress had taken place after April 1."

Regarding the question of whether Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was influential in his not being re-nominated, Soyer said that İmamoğlu stated he had no interference, and that he believed him.

STATEMENT ON DEM PARTY

When reminded of his statement that he has a bond of affection with the DEM Party, Soyer shared the following:

"I have a bond of affection with all disadvantaged groups. I also have a bond of affection with those who vote for the AK Party and the MHP. When I was the Mayor of Seferihisar, we became sister municipalities with the Sur Municipality. A trustee was appointed to Sur. It was the first application of trustee appointment in Turkey. The next day, I held a press conference in Konak Square and said that this was not right. The voters of the DEM Party, or the HDP at that time, never forgot the stance I showed there. In short, a bond of affection is a bond of love. It is even a bond of passion. Affection is like that. You become attached and try to do what is required of it. Therefore, what is meant here is not political content, but a human bond."

News Source: AA