Eyüpsultan Mayor Affirms Loyalty to CHP Amidst Party Speculation

Mithat Bülent Özmen, the Mayor of Eyüpsultan, has officially declared his intention to stay with the Republican People's Party (CHP), dispelling rumors of his potential defection to the New Party (YENİ Parti).

"I have felt responsible for all of this trust," Özmen stated in a press release. "Therefore, I will continue my duty as a mayor elected as a candidate of the Republican People's Party with the same sense of responsibility." He emphasized that his primary motivation for taking office was public service, not personal gain. Özmen explained that upon receiving his mandate, he removed his party pin, viewing his mayoral role as a duty to serve all Eyüpsultan residents equally, irrespective of their political views.

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I have felt responsible for all of this trust. Therefore, I will continue my duty as a mayor elected as a candidate of the Republican People's Party with the same sense of responsibility.

Özmen highlighted his efforts to work with fairness and justice, without discrimination, during his term. He acknowledged that while some voters supported him because he was the CHP candidate, others trusted him and his approach regardless of political affiliation. He pledged to dedicate all his efforts to serving Eyüpsultan, focusing on the needs of its citizens, the district's future, and the well-being of its children.

The mayor's announcement follows a period of internal party shifts and speculation. It also comes in the wake of a separate investigation involving the municipality, which led to the arrest of the Eyüpsultan Deputy Mayor, Hasan Karabulut, and two others on July 24. They were detained as part of an investigation into the Çankaya Municipality.

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My primary motivation for taking office was public service, not personal gain.