Polemic continues between Ministry of Interior and Mayor of İstanbul

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The terror investigation that the Ministry of Interior started about the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) is continuing, and so is the polemic between the Minister and İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

The Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu has claimed that İmamoğlu has called him directly, "paying his respects"

In one last statement, Soylu said, "He [İmamoğlu] called me. He told me that CHP did not like him with regard to a specific issue and asked my favor for it. I told him that we would do what the law requires."

İmamoğlu was elected in İstanbul, as one of the 11 metropolitan mayors of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in the local elections of 2019, supported by the wider opposition.

"A great lie"

Ekrem İmamoğlu responded to Soylu's claim on a telephone call from his social media accounts, calling it a "great lie" and invited Soylu to broadcast the phone conversation or to resign.

He said, "You have the intelligence, you have the phone tracking. I should resign if you prove this, and you should if you cannot."

"In the records of God"

Soylu posted a tweet in response and said, "That he has called me many times and talked to me is in the records of God first of all and then in our and his minds as humans."

In response, İmamoğlu denied this and again invited Soylu to resign.

"Terror investigation" on İBB

The Ministry of Interior (MI) started a "terror investigation" on İBB in December 2021. Following the examination by the Investigation Committee, the MI claimed that 1668 people were employed in İBB and in its affiliates who are connected/associated with terrorist organizations and that it was found that 484 out of 505 examined were employed without carrying out a security investigation by İBB.

İBB dismissed some employees in the following months, among whom were also "peace academicians."

A dozen of the dismissed employees started a sit-in action in the park in front of İBB on July 28, 2022.

The sit-in action continued for two months, received widespread support, and was completed after announcing that many of the demands were met. (HA/PE)