Ümit Özdağ: I worked to prevent Ahmet Özer from being elected.

```html

Ekrem İmamoğlu, who came to Ankara for the extraordinary council meeting of the Union of Turkish Municipalities (TBB), visited CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, Democratic Party Chairman Gültekin Uysal, DEVA Party Chairman Ali Babacan, Future Party Chairman Ahmet Davutoğlu, İYİ Party Chairman Müsavat Dervişoğlu, and Felicity Party Chairman Temel Karamollaoğlu to evaluate the agenda of trustee appointments. Finally, İmamoğlu visited Victory Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ at his party's headquarters. After a meeting that lasted about 1 hour, a joint press conference was held.

"LEGAL REGULATION IS NECESSARY"

Ekrem İmamoğlu started his speech by thanking Ümit Özdağ. İmamoğlu stated, "First of all, we believe that there is a need for a legal regulation regarding the issue of trustees, which we are experiencing, not as a political abuse or a situation that you can intervene in according to a person or party, but rather in accordance with the rule of law, the rules of democracy, personal rights and freedoms, and human rights."

"WE NEED A NEW REGULATION REGARDING TRUSTEES"

İmamoğlu indicated that he shared the process experienced at the TBB council meeting with Özdağ, saying, "As TBB, we have decided that the article added in 2016, in addition to the article that existed in the constitution in the past, is open to abuse and has allowed different initiatives to be used. We will visit political parties to express that we need a new regulation regarding trustees as part of a reform effort we are undertaking, and we will ask for their thoughts. We will combine these into a reasonable framework and present a common text to them again."

"THEY REFUSED TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION"

Ümit Özdağ also stated that they had a detailed evaluation with İmamoğlu. Özdağ noted the following in his speech:

"Our country has been experiencing the severe and despicable attacks of a terrorist organization for over 40 years since 1984 and continues to do so. The extensions of this terrorist organization in politics have repeatedly refused to distance themselves from the terrorist organization and terrorism during these 40 years. Local democracy is truly extraordinarily valuable. Local democracy is one of the main conditions and sources for the development and strengthening of democracy. However, if you see local democracy as a means of separating from the country and breaking away from Turkey's territorial integrity rather than serving the people, then your aim is not to serve the people but to divide the country.

We have not forgotten and will not forget Pervin Buldan's statement when DEM's predecessor party won the elections in Iğdır, saying 'Iğdır has entered the borders of Kurdistan.' Unfortunately, the previous efforts of DEM, which was affiliated with the other organization, to provide local services to the public have been overshadowed by their activities to assist the organization and provide logistical support to terrorist elements in the mountains, as identified by the state's intelligence officials, gendarmerie, and police authorities.

"I WORKED TO PREVENT AHMET ÖZER FROM BEING ELECTED IN ESENYURT"

For this reason, Turkey must defend itself against the terrorist organization and approaches aligned with it. However, our republic was established as a state built on law, even during the war of independence. In the Western Front, Çerkes Ethem's forces captured and executed those who betrayed the independence war. İsmet Paşa issued the order, 'There can be no trial without judgment.' He first had them tried. Then, this authority was taken by the army, and after judging them, he imposed the punishment. In other words, we established the state with law, and today we must defend the state with law.

As the Victory Party, we recorded in our protocol that the trustee institution is necessary, but it should be done by a court decision, during our discussions with the former CHP Chairman Kılıçdaroğlu, which sparked much debate in the public. Today, we are at the point where mayors suspected of being linked to terrorism should only be removed from office by a court decision. As for Ahmet Özer, he has been the candidate we have opposed the most as the Victory Party. I worked three times in Esenyurt to prevent him from being elected, distributing leaflets and putting up posters. I will fight this political battle, but I believe that he should also be removed from office in a manner befitting the Turkish state, with a court decision and in accordance with the procedure.