Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu of the CHP (Republican People’s Party) has arrived in Mardin in support of the co-mayors Ahmet Türk and Devrim Demir of the DEM Party (Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party), who were ousted by the Turkish Ministry of the Interior on 4 November. Imamoğlu is President of the Association of Turkish Municipalities (TBB) and is accompanied by other CHP politicians, including the mayors of Adana, Mersin and Adıyaman.

The CHP delegation was received at the airport in Mardin by Devrim Demir and Ahmet Türk and the co-mayors of Amed (Diyarbakır), Serra Bucak and Doğan Hatun (DEM), and escorted to Derik for a joint meal.

Ahmet Türk: We want justice and rights

The Kurdish politician Ahmet Türk, who has been elected Mayor of Mardin for the third time in a row and dismissed from office each time, made a statement after the meal at his private residence in Derik, in which he praised the visit of Imamoğlu as a significant event and said: “This visit is a great honour for us. We are all closely following developments in Turkey. Democracy is not possible under a policy of trustee administration. We want justice and respect for the law. The policy of marginalising and excluding people must be abandoned.”

İmamoğlu criticises the usurpation of the right to elect and be elected

Imamoğlu spoke out in favour of strengthening local government and democratic local politics. It is a shame that, in the second century of the Republic of Turkey, the right to elect and be elected has been taken away, said the Mayor of Istanbul: “While we talk about strengthening local self-government in our country, unfortunately we have been experiencing the opposite for a long time. The powers of local governments have been restricted. Their budgets have been cut to the point where they can only pay salaries. Unfortunately, instead of rectifying this, we are talking about trustees in the second century of the Republic. It is about the usurpation of the right to elect and be elected. When people are disempowered, their trust in the country fades. It is difficult for them to look to the future with hope. The country has no east, west or north. First, a trustee was appointed for a district in the centre of Istanbul, and then in Mardin, a city with an ancient culture of all faiths and ethnicities.”

‘We are here for the unity of the country’

İmamoglu emphasised that the appointment of trustees was unlawful and damage to Turkey's reputation and interests: “Each of us is here for the good of this country, for the unity of the country. Justice and democracy are very important. We stand together and in solidarity.”

Ekrem Imamoğlu went on to say that he wanted to set an example with his visit: “We talked about the future and peace in the country. We want unity, peace and tranquility in this country. We must not forget that this country will be an example for the Middle East and the Balkans in our immediate neighbourhood. In this respect, the strong and unifying steps we will take from here will set an example. A peace to which all citizens contribute will benefit everyone.”