İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu should be dismissed if “terror ties” of municipal personnel are proven, according to Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli, an ally of the government.
Last week, the Ministry of Interior opened an investigation into the opposition-led municipality after “findings and reports” that as many as 557 municipal personnel might have ties to outlawed groups, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
If the İstanbul Municipality recruited people who have connections with “terror” groups, the mayor is responsible “in any case,” Bahçeli told his party’s parliamentary group today (January 4).
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“If the allegations are proven … the mayor of the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality cannot and should occupy his office even for a second,” he remarked.
In response to accusations, İmamoğlu had said that the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice should be investigated if people with “terror” ties were able to get jobs at the municipality as “we don’t hire people without a letter of clearance.”
On December 30, a court accepted an indictment against the Religious Scholars Solidarity Association (DİAYDER), which is also probed by the Ministry of Interior as part of its investigation into the İstanbul Municipality.
Prosecutors accuse the association of “operating in line with the goals of the PKK.”
Twenty-three people, including IMM personnel, are facing terrorism-related charges in the case. Ten of the defendants are under arrest.
Imamoglu argues that any municipality employee must be cleared in writing by the Ministry of Justice, he shall not need to do background work on them.
Non-AKP experts have argued that the probe is another attempt to intimidate the rising star of CHP, lest he declares his candidacy for presidency.
The probe was criticized even among AKP ranks, with deputy chair Mr Numan Kurtulmus stating that it amounts to “shooting ourselves in the feet”.
The majority views the probe as another diversion from economic misery, claiming Erdogan will not dare sack Imamoglu, which will only serve to increase his popularity.
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