İstanbul Mayor İmamoğlu’s First Day in Office: We will Ensure Meritocracy and Justice

* Photographs: Arif Hüdaverdi Yaman - Anadolu Agency/İstanbul

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Receiving his certificate of election for the second time yesterday (June 27), İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu came to the municipality building in Saraçhane, Fatih at around 9 a.m. today and has taken office.

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İmamoğlu was met by İstanbulites in front of the municipality. Before he set to work, he made a brief statement for the press and answered the questions of journalists. He also briefly talked to the municipality personnel.

Underlining that they will share everything that concerns the society with the media in transparency, İmamoğlu said, "We will set a process in motion with the aim of informing our citizens about all actions and proceedings and establishing a transparent bond with our citizens."

'Did they act fairly?'

A journalist asked İmamoğlu, "It has been recently circulating on social media that some municipal employees were dismissed. Have you made any inquiries about this issue?". İmamoğlu said in response:

"We will inquire about each and every issue at the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality. There is, of course, an order. But, human resource is one of the most important points. If there is an unjust dismissal, if there are people who are salaried by the Metropolitan Municipality without having any rights to do so, both matters will be addressed and inquired. We will also inquire about it through subsidiaries. Did they act fairly?

"We will look into them all. We are sensitive about these issues, because the most frequent promise that we gave at the squares [in election rallies] was to be just. To act by paying attention to meritocracy... We don't care if it is from our party or from the party of someone else.

'We will ensure justice and meritocracy'

"You will see that, in the name of bringing justice and meritocracy in this institution, we will show you our sensitivity through transparency, be that the current situation of human resources or their recruitment.

"You will, in fact, have the opportunity to analyze and inquire about this process. If we cannot overcome this feeling of injustice in society in terms of labor and employment, we are highly unlikely to find social peace.

"We will ensure meritocracy and justice to eliminate this feeling of injustice." (AÖ/SD)