‘This is my last term’: Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Mansur Yavas attended an iftar (breaking-fast dinner) in Polatli on Monday evening, where he shared his thoughts on his political future and commented this will be his last term in office amid Imamoglu protests across Türkiye.

In his speech, Ankara Mayor Yavas announced that he plans to conclude his political career at the end of his second term, having worked on delivering significant services to both Ankara and Polatli.

‘This is my last term’

During the iftar, Ankara Mayor candidly stated, “This is my last term. God willing, I plan to leave my position after completing my second term, having contributed positively to Ankara and Polatli. I will come back to say goodbye and to reconcile with everyone, God willing.”

When asked about an ongoing investigation into concerts, Yavas chose not to respond. It was stated that Yavas was not the target of the investigations.

Investigation into 33 concerts

Ankara municipality has been under scrutiny following an investigation into a series of cultural and artistic events held between 2021 and 2024. The investigation, led by inspectors, initially involved 130 concerts, and after a thorough review, it was concluded that there were no irregularities found in 97 of them. However, 33 concerts are now under investigation due to allegations of public financial loss.

A statement released by Ankara Metropolitan Municipality clarified the situation, saying, “The inspections of the cultural and artistic events organized by the ABB between 2021 and 2024 had been ongoing for some time. The review of the service purchases related to 130 concerts was completed. The inspection revealed no irregularities for 97 of the concerts, and no further investigation was initiated. However, for 33 concerts, an investigation was authorized due to claims of public loss. It is important to note that these events were previously reviewed in routine audits by the Court of Accounts and inspections by the Ministry of Interior, with no negative findings. The nine municipal employees involved in the investigation will exercise their legal rights and appeal to the Regional Administrative Court.”

This investigation highlights ongoing transparency efforts within the ABB, even as some events have raised questions regarding financial management. As for Mansur Yavas, his future plans remain focused on completing his current term with a sense of closure and reconciliation.