05.01.2025 13:40
An investigation has been launched against Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan due to his remarks regarding Syrians. Özcan stated in a program he attended, "I unlawfully revoked the permits of Syrians; I noticed they weren't going to court, so I increased their water fees by 10 times."
CHP's Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan, who was a guest on journalist Fatih Altaylı's YouTube program, admitted that the policies regarding Syrians are unlawful.
"THERE IS NOT A SINGLE ARABIC SIGN IN BOLU RIGHT NOW"
Tanju Özcan said, "They receive enough aid from the state; I said I would not provide a single penny from the Bolu Municipality budget. I removed the signs overnight and unlawfully revoked their licenses. Of course, at that time, with the power and wave, they couldn't file a lawsuit. Right now, there is not a single Arabic sign in Bolu."
"I INCREASED WATER PRICES BY 10 TIMES"
If they had gone to the administrative court, they might have won, but the time when you are strongest in politics is when you have just been elected. It created a shock wave; they didn't understand what was happening. Then I saw that there wasn't enough of a response. I am a lawyer myself; I increased the marriage fees and water prices by 10 times. This was also not legal. I knew that if it went to the administrative court, it would be overturned. It was already overturned before the tariff came into effect," he stated.
MINISTER TUNÇ ANNOUNCED
While Özcan's words ignited a major controversy, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced the development regarding the issue today on his X account.
"AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN INITIATED"
Minister Tunç said, "An investigation has been initiated by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the statements made by the Bolu Mayor about Syrians in our country."