İstanbul mayor criticizes discussions over his university diploma

ANKARA

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) most likely sole presidential candidate, has slammed an ongoing investigation over his university diploma as well as other prosecutions.

Haberin Devamı

“Those who want to plot against me and tarnish my reputation should better know that they are entering a road of no return. I am issuing a historic call from the heart of Türkiye, Ankara: All these investigations, preparations are baseless,” İmamoğlu said at a party meeting in Ankara over the weekend.

İmamoğlu has been visiting CHP’s provincial branches to ask for support ahead of the primary elections that will be held on March 23 for the selection of the main opposition’s presidential candidate.

“The purpose of all these actions is to try to fabricate a criminal organization around Ekrem İmamoğlu,” he said, recalling that there are five separate cases against him. He singled out an ongoing investigation into the allegations that his university diploma is fake, saying “Their only concern is to finish with me before March 23,” referring to the probe on his university diploma.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is conducting an investigation following a report issued by the Higher Education Council (YÖK), which purportedly identified discrepancies regarding the legitimacy of İmamoğlu’s diploma. Some CHP officials argue that the probe will be finalized in the coming days and İmamoğlu’s diploma will be canceled.

İmamoğlu, who transferred from a university in Turkish Cyprus in 1990 before graduating from Istanbul University, now faces accusations due to the YÖK report’s assertion that the Turkish Cypriot institution in question was not officially recognized by the body at the time. Consequently, the report deems his transfer and, therefore, subsequent degree invalid, effectively rendering the diploma fraudulent.

According to the constitution, only individuals who are university graduates and over 40 years of age are eligible to run in presidential elections.