DİYARBAKIR - Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu, who was appointed trustee in Diyarbakır, also appointed himself GABB (Association of Southeastern Anatolian Municipalities) President. Güzeloğlu sent his deputy to the GAAB meeting istead of coming himself.
The Association of Southeastern Anatolian Municipalities (GABB) 2nd Term Assembly meeting was held on Tuesday in the meeting hall at Sümerpark within the Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality.
The meeting, scheduled for September 26th, was held on September 30th as the HDP Democratic Local Governments Board did not reach the majority necessary to join the GAAB Assembly meeting.
Eventually the HDP Democratic Local Governments Board decided to attend the GAAB Assembly meeting after its postponement to 30 September.
Governor Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu, who was appointed trustee to replace Diyarbakır co-mayor Selçuk Mızraklı, also appointed himself at the GABB president, a position Mızraklı was elected to on 21 June.
The Association, which has 4 HDP and 4 AKP members of the Union, enjoyed the support of 148 HDP members and 98 AKP members.
The first Deputy Mayor of the Union and Batman Municipality co-mayor Songül Korkmaz was chairing the Assembly meeting that was not attended by trustee Güzeloğlu, who sent instead the deputy governor to represent him.
HDP Democratic Local Governments read the document they prepared to protest the appointment of trustees.
The Assembly meeting was opened with the proposal of the HDP members for the election of the new president of the Union, based on the provision set out in Article 14 of the GABB regulation.
The motion submitted to the Presidency was accepted thus voting was chosen.
However, following the adoption of the motion, the AKP mayor of Şırnak Municipality Mehmet Yarka stated that the deputy governor will speak.
Ahmet Kaya, a HDP member of the Union and Ergani Municipality co-mayor reacted to Yarka's speech sayin that it was not legal for the deputy governor to make a speech.
Regardless of the protest, the deputy governor spoke: "I am here on behalf of the state and I will not have you to vote. The Union already has a president [meaning Diyarbakır trustees] and this is still valid."
The Assembly meeting ended without discussing the agenda proposals.
The next meeting is to be held in 3 weeks as proposed by the HDP members and on the agenda will be the re-election of the president of the Union.