06.02.2026 14:35
After the Council of State annulled the Interior Ministry's decision not to grant permission for an investigation against Melih Gökçek, the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality applied to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office with a request to hear former Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Bülent Arınç as a witness in the investigation. Arınç had stated that Gökçek "sold Ankara parcel by parcel."
After the Council of State annulled the Interior Ministry's decision not to grant an investigation permit regarding Melih Gökçek, the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality applied to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office with a request for former Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Bülent Arınç to be heard as a witness in the investigation.
"WE DO NOT WANT YOU, BÜLENT ARINÇ"
During the first 'Resolution Process', discussions within the party began after then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statements regarding the process were criticized by then-Deputy Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson Bülent Arınç, following statements from the then-AKP Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Melih Gökçek on social media saying, "We do not want you, Bülent Arınç."
"HE SOLD ANKARA"
The debate intensified after Arınç responded to Gökçek with the words, "He is not a decent, honorable person," and most recently, Bülent Arınç accused Gökçek of selling Ankara, stating, "I am with our esteemed President. This is who I am. I am here with everything I have. I am the one who went to America; I did not hide these things. But Gökçek has done more than that. He has sat in the lap of this structure and sold parcels of Ankara to this structure. He has built schools for wealthy businessmen."
ARINÇ'S STATEMENTS REMINDED
The complaints made by ABB President Mansur Yavaş against former ABB President Melih Gökçek had not been investigated due to the Interior Ministry's refusal to grant permission. The Council of State's First Chamber annulled the Interior Ministry's decision not to process the complaint made against former ABB President Melih Gökçek and the municipal officials of the time regarding the allegation of "unjust benefits obtained through zoning plan changes."
"NO PROSECUTOR HAS CALLED ME FOR 10 YEARS"
Following this development, the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality applied to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, recalling Bülent Arınç's words during a program he participated in on Sözcü TV recently, where he stated, "I have not deviated a gram from what I said. No prosecutor has called me for 10 years," and requested that Arınç be heard.
"OUR EVIDENCE IS DISAPPEARING"
In the petition submitted by ABB to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, news reports indicating that former President Melih Gökçek is connected to FETÖ and Gökçek's statements were included. The petition stated, "There are dozens of issues that need to be examined regarding our complaint, each of which is of a nature that requires prosecution. Unfortunately, evidence regarding our claims has not been collected for 5 years. The competent authority must decide whether to grant or deny an investigation permit regarding the public official within the time frames mentioned above. Currently, our evidence is disappearing in this investigation that has been ongoing for 5 years."
The petition requested, "In addition to the urgent taking of the statement of Bülent Arınç, who has public statements regarding the suspects, a separate examination of each parcel mentioned in the reports of the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Inspection Board, and a comprehensive expert examination to be conducted in accordance with the matters specified in the Council of State's First Chamber's decision dated December 25, 2025." The petition also requested, "Determination of whether the plan changes are of a piecemeal nature and whether individual benefits have been obtained, and immediate granting of an investigation permit regarding the suspects."