A worker who is concerned about his security and did not want to reveal his name, said the questions were not in accordance with their job and they were asked about the names of the soldiers who died in Afrin and how to pray. He said: "How can you explain that no one passed the exam even though we took it 3 times? This is what the trustees are doing here. This is persecution to the workers. We will not give up and we will fight for our rights.

 

Unemployment and poverty are increasing in Van, especially since the appointment of the trustee. 

 

The last discrimination action involveed 217 workers, who were previously dismissed by the Van Metropolitan Municipality trustee but won the right to be re-interviewed and reappointed through legal action. 

 

The 217 workers were indeed interviewed on 7 March but, although they passed the exams successfully, they were not reinstated and were considered unsuccessful.

 

Despite the workers won in court, trustee Mehmet Emin Bilmez is refusing to employ them and plans to hire people close to the AKP government instead.

 

It was learned that AKP Van Provincial Organization prepared a list of names.

 

Hundreds of workers were laid off after the first seizure of Van Metropolitan Municipality in 2016 when HDP mayors were dismissed and replaced by a trustee.

 

One of the workers, who prefer to remain anonymous, confirmed that they went to court three times and each time the court ruled for their reinstatement. "But the trustees - said the worker - has already decide that he won't take the ruling into account and in fact refused to reinstate us. All this because of the hatred towards Kurds."

 

While unemployment and poverty increase in Van, the trustee is wasting the municipality money in trivial "nights". People confirm that corruption is spreading and added that the trustee did not pay workers wages.