Senior officials dismissed over controversial evacuation decision

TEKİRDAĞ

Three senior officials from Tekirdağ Municipality have been dismissed of their duties as a result of an investigation regarding the municipality’s decision to terminate accommodation services for 550 earthquake survivors housed in local hotels.

Tekirdağ Municipality announced that it would end the accommodation service provided to 550 earthquake survivors in the city on May 21, sparking public outcry.

Upon the announcement, the country’s the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) had requested the Tekirdağ Governor’s Office to cover all the expenses of the earthquake victims and allocate a hotel.

After the Interior Ministry launched an investigation into the incident, Tekirdağ Metropolitan Municipality Secretary-General Fatih Ünsal, Deputy Secretary-General Alpaslan Kurtoğlu and Social Services Department Head İsa Karadağ, all of whom signed the evacuation document, have been suspended from their positions.

“The inspectors came to Tekirdağ. It would not be right for me to make a statement while the investigation is ongoing. Let’s wait for the outcome of the investigation, everything will be better. These people are currently suspended from their duties until the investigation concludes,” said Mayor Kadir Albayrak.

Following the twin earthquakes that jolted the country’s south in early February, earthquake survivors were settled in student dormitories and hotels in several parts of the country.