22.05.2024 16:02
After facing backlash for appointing his nephew Furkan Bozbey as the chairman of Bursa Kent Yapı İmar Bilişim Enerji, one of the municipality's subsidiaries, Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey took a step back. Now, he has appointed his sister-in-law as the head of the social services department. Not stopping there, Bozbey also made the spouse of a member of parliament and the spouse of a CHP council member hold positions of power.
Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey's appointment of his nephew Furkan Bozbey as the chairman of Bursa City Construction Planning Information Energy, which is one of the municipality's subsidiaries, had caused a bombshell in the agenda. Bozbey, who had to backtrack on this decision that sparked controversy, made another appointment that would fuel the discussions.
He appointed his wife's sister, Sezen Uğurlu, as the head of the social services department, despite warnings from the party headquarters to stop giving jobs to his relatives at Bursa Municipality.
The controversial appointments at Bursa Metropolitan Municipality were not limited to this name. Şafak Baba Pala, the wife of Bursa Member of Parliament Kayıhan Pala, became the head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department.
Pınar Işıkyıldız, the wife of CHP Council Member Yalçın Işıkyıldız, was officially appointed as the Head of Foreign Relations Department.
CHP leader Özgür Özel had previously stated that they would not allow mayors to appoint their relatives to the municipality, saying: "No matter how qualified the relatives of MPs or mayors are, we cannot explain these appointments to anyone in a place where the AKP practices nepotism to this extent. These kinds of appointments shake the trust in the CHP fundamentally in a place where there is so much unemployment and poverty. We have no concessions. We absolutely do not accept it. I show the strongest reaction. We will never allow it again. The appointments need to be revoked. Otherwise, we will do whatever is necessary within the party's rules. I can forgive any mistake made towards me or any mistake in the party. But we cannot turn a blind eye to those who engage in nepotism, favoritism, and paid jobs in the municipality."