12.10.2026 21:40
The behind-the-scenes of the meeting between Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay, who joined the AK Party, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has emerged. AK Party Izmir MP Şebnem Bursalı conveyed that Tugay, who stated that he was impressed by President Erdoğan's command of Izmir's problems and the courtesy shown to him, said, "I will never forget, for as long as I live, our President's courtesy toward me and my wife and the respect he showed."
After İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay joined the AK Party, a delegation from the party leadership paid a visit to the municipality.
AK Party İzmir MP Şebnem Bursalı, one of those present at the visit, which was attended by AK Party Secretary-General Eyyüp Kadir İnan as well as MPs and mayors, shared both the details of the visit and what Tugay told them about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on tv100 broadcast.
PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN'S INSTRUCTION TO THE PARTY ORGANIZATION ABOUT CEMİL TUGAY
Bursalı, who stated that President Erdoğan gave a special instruction to the party organization regarding the work to be carried out in İzmir, said they would focus on municipal services instead of political debates.
Bursalı said, "Our President and Party Chairman has a special instruction for the entire AK Party organization, especially us MPs: we will always be supporters of Mr. Cemil when it comes to serving İzmir."
Noting that AK Party Secretary-General Eyyüp Kadir İnan also gave the same message during the visit, Bursalı said, "We are not like other parties. We will spend our energy on İzmir without wasting time on polemics and arguments."
"HE ESTABLISHED HIS STRONGEST COMMUNICATION WITH OUR PRESIDENT"
Bursalı, who said that Tugay conveyed to them the details of his meeting with President Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex, stated that the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor was impressed by this meeting.
Bursalı made the following assessment regarding the meeting: "During our visit, we established constructive communication open to mutual exchange of views. The value of communication in politics is not only talking, but listening to each other and being able to seek solutions to common issues. But he established his strongest communication with our President. During our visit, he told us about his dialogues with our President."
"I WILL NEVER FORGET, FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, THE RESPECT HE SHOWED TO ME AND MY WIFE"
Bursalı, arguing that President Erdoğan's having detailed knowledge of İzmir's problems left a strong impression on Tugay, stated that the President's listening to Tugay standing at the inauguration ceremony also came up during the meeting.
Bursalı conveyed that Tugay told them the following words regarding President Erdoğan's attitude: "I will never forget for the rest of my life our President's courtesy toward me and my wife and the respect he showed."
Bursalı stated that in the period ahead, the AK Party organization would work in harmony with Tugay and support services for İzmir.