Former Ankara Mayor Gökçek praises current mayor Yavaş for continuing road project, criticizes predecessor

Melih Gökçek, the former Mayor of Ankara, has publicly commended his successor, Mansur Yavaş, for resuming a controversial road construction project that cuts through the campus of the Middle East Technical University (METU).

Gökçek, who served as mayor for many years, expressed gratitude to Yavaş for pushing forward the project. He contrasted Yavaş's action with that of Mustafa Tuna, who took over as mayor after Gökçek's removal. Gökçek was critical of Tuna's leadership, stating that Tuna "didn't understand anything" and abandoned the road project.

The road project, a significant infrastructure initiative, was originally planned and initiated during Gökçek's administration. Its continuation through the METU campus has been a point of contention, with environmental and academic groups often raising concerns. Gökçek's praise for Yavaş, a political opponent, highlights a rare moment of agreement on this specific development, while his criticism of Tuna underscores internal political dynamics.

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There was a mayor who didn't understand anything. Mustafa Tuna. He abandoned his own road.