Şişli appeals law on border change

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Şişli Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül speaks to reporters after filing an application to the Constitutional Court seeking the annulement of the municpalities law. AA photo

The popular mayor of Istanbul’s Şişli Municipality, Mustafa Sarıgül, has appealed to the Constitutional Court for the cancellation of the changes to the municipality borders made by the Metropolitan Municipalities Law.

He planned to go to the Constitutional Court with 300 buses of people, some 15,000 Şişli locals, in order to prevent the court from being manipulated by politics, Sarıgül said during a visit to the Parliamentary Reporters Association (PMD) in Ankara on Jan. 4. “We believe the Court will give a lawful decision rather than a political one,” he said, adding that Şişli is in search of law and justice.

“This decision is a misfortune. The borders can be changed, but there are certain rules for that. It could be done only through negotiations with all the political parties and nongovernmental organizations,” Sarıgül said.

With the law on restructuring municipalities, which was approved by Parliament on Nov. 12 despite the opposition’s strong objections, the neighborhoods of Huzur, Ayazağa and Maslak, a main financial center in Istanbul, were removed from the jurisdiction of the Şişli Municipality and included in the Sarıyer Municipality.

Sarıgül said he aimed for democracy, freedom and individual well-being. “The ruling power should keep in mind that it will be in opposition in the future, so it should behave to the opposition accordingly,” he said.