‘I am Farhad, İzmir is Shirin’ Statement by AKP’s Metropolitan Mayor Candidate Zeybekci

* Photograph: Anadolu Agency / Archive

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Justice and Development Party's (AKP) candidate for İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Nihat Zeybekci, who previously defended his statement of "İzmir is the most beautiful girl in the neighborhood; who doesn't want her?" by saying, "I didn't call it a woman, but a girl", has again spoken about the city by defining himself as "Farhad" and İzmir as "Shirin", referring to a folkloric love story* from the 12th century.

Addressing the chairs and executives of cooperatives in İzmir, Nihat Zeybekci, who is also the former Minister of Economy, has said, "I am also a tradesperson from İzmir" and added:

"İzmir will be a center of logistics. It will be a center for storing, handling, sending and bringing products. Just as Farhad digs through the mountains, with the projects that I have just mentioned... And what about Shirin? Do you know how she is? With all due respect, but, Shirin is dealing with cesspits. Shirin is dealing with scandals over investment areas.

"Shirin is dealing with solid waste. Shirin is, unfortunately, busy with transportation, she is busy with being all over the place in traffic."

Zeybekci declined dinner invitation of CHP candidate

Speaking to İsmail Küçükkaya from FOX TV, Zeybekci has also stated that he refused the dinner invitation of Tunç Soyer, the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) Metropolitan Mayor candidate for İzmir.

Zeybekci has explained his reason for the decline by referring to the father of Tunç Soyer, Nurettin Soyer, who was a military prosecutor in Ankara during the 1980 military coup. Zeybekçi has said,

"Kindness should, of course, have a place in politics. Such likeable things should also happen. But, before having a dinner with us... There are some question marks disturbing the conscience of the public. I think, the candidate of the CHP should first clarify those points.

"If he [Tunç Soyer] says, 'I am standing behind him, I am proud of him' for his father, who was responsible for the pressure, torture and similar other practices that were imposed on the idealist youth [Grey Wolves], the sons of this nation, then, the citizens will naturally..."

Being interrupted by Küçükkaya, who asked, "Dear Zeybekci; of what exactly did Soyer said that he was proud? Could a person be questioned about his father?", Zeybekci continued referring to other allegations regarding the previous statements of Tunç Soyer about the FETÖ and the military operations in the southeastern provinces of Turkey. Zeybekci has said, "These question marks should be eliminated." (PT/SD)

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* The folkloric tale of Farhad and Shirin is the Anatolian version of Khosrow and Shirin, the famous tragic love story by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi (1141–1209). The tale is about the young muralist Farhad, who falls in love with the princess Shirin as he was commissioned to decorate her villa. Farhad asks the ruler for permission to marry Shirin. Unwilling to agree, the ruler says that Farhad has to bring water to the town from a far distance spring by digging a water tunnel in the nearby mountain.