President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has expressed firm support for the Interior Ministry’s recent takeover of opposition municipalities due to “terrorism” accusations against the mayors.
"Being elected does not give anyone the right to walk hand in hand with terrorism," Erdoğan said, addressing reporters on a flight following visits to Kyrgyzstan and Hungary.
The president praised judicial authorities for taking action against the opposition mayors, saying, “The opposition must not pressure the judiciary for simply doing its job. Especially attempting to threaten prosecutors, targeting members of the judiciary, and insulting them is pure banditry.”
The Interior Ministry on Oct 31 suspended the mayor of İstanbul’s Esenyurt district, a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), and on Nov 4 replaced the mayors of Mardin and Batman cities and Urfa’s Halfeti district, which were controlled by the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party. All four mayors are charged with ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Erdoğan also reiterated the government’s claim that the seized municipalities’ alleged misappropriation of public funds, saying, “Officials must serve their citizens and cities, not become servants to separatist ringleaders.” However, the trustee administrations have also widely been accused of involvement in corruption in the municipalities they governed.
Eyeing cooperation with Trump
Turkey’s “anti-terror” strategy will not change and it insists on establishing “safe zones” in Syria and Iraq at a depth of 30 to 40-kilometers, the president said.
He further noted that he is looking forward to cooperating with US president-elect Donald Trump, expressing hope that he would reconsider the US support for the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in Syria, which Turkey views as an extension of the PKK.
“In the new term, we will continue our diplomatic communications with Trump to shape developments in the Middle East. For example, we will evaluate the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and address how support for PKK/PYD/YPG terrorist organizations can be terminated,” Erdoğan remarked.
Erdoğan also mentioned Trump’s recent commitment to ending the ongoing conflict in Israel, adding that Turkey supports efforts to urge Israel to de-escalate tensions. “We want to see that commitment fulfilled, and we expect Israel to be told, ‘enough,’” he said. (VK)
