29 July 2010 / TODAY’S ZAMAN , İSTANBUL
The Interior Ministry on Tuesday decided to dismiss the mayors of Didim, in Aydın province, and Sivrihisar, in Eskişehir, due to the implication of the two mayors in judicial proceedings.
According to the ministry, the removal of Sivrihisar ex-Mayor Fikret Arslan was requested by the Eskişehir Governor’s Office, which petitioned for Arslan’s dismissal after he was convicted in court. Former Didim Mayor Mümin Kamacı was also dismissed following a request from the Aydın Governor’s Office, which stated that Kamacı’s involvement in an ongoing legal case was grounds for his removal from office.The dismissal of the mayors led to anger within the ranks of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), of which the two ex-mayors are members. CHP Aydın provincial council member Korkmaz Karaca described Kamacı’s removal from office as a “political game.”
“There are hundreds of charges filed against the mayors of the İstanbul and Ankara metropolitan municipalities. Removing Kamacı from his post because of charges filed against him is completely a political game,” Karaca said. He added that the CHP would object to the ministry’s decision to discharge Kamacı.
