MHP calls on Istanbul mayor to resign due to ‘ineffective fight against blizzard’

ANKARA

Devlet Bahçeli, the head of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), has called on Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu to resign because of what he called “his failure” in the fight against last week’s heavy snow and for meeting a foreign envoy instead of serving the people of Istanbul.

“Our wish is for the mayor to resign and pave the way for democracy,” Bahçeli told his lawmakers at a weekly address in parliament on Feb. 1.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its main ally, the MHP, have been criticizing İmamoğlu for not taking enough and timely measures to fight the blizzard and for instead meeting British Ambassador Dominick Chilcott for dinner during the snowstorm.

“The mayor of Istanbul was able to keep in mind his appointment with the ambassador of the United Kingdom for 25 days, but he could not remember the warnings made by the meteorology officials. The people of Istanbul don’t deserve such an irresponsible paper tiger,” Bahçeli stated.

“Istanbul and its people suffered from the misery at the hands of Istanbul mayor,” the MHP leader said, asking, “How can this city, the center of the Turkish-Islamic civilization, be left to the rule of such a person who gives more importance to an ambassador than 16 million residents?”

Bahçeli asked İmamoğlu what he discussed with the British ambassador while Istanbul was struggling against the harsh winter, blaming the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and other opposition parties for becoming an “tool” of the foreign powers.