In the 6 months and 26 days (April 8-November 3) that the trustee-appointed Xelfetî (Halfeti) Municipality of Riha remained under the administration of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), the practice of democratic participatory local governance was demonstrated. 

 

The co-mayors Saniye Bayram and Mehmet Karayılan, who gave the message “we will govern together” on April 8, 2024, when they received their mandate, continued to do so as long as they remained in office. 

 

The first action of the co-mayors, who took over the municipality with a debt of 460 million 601 thousand TL from Şeref Albayrak, who was elected as a trustee between 2016-2019 and then as mayor from AKP after 2019, was to hang the debt table from previous periods in the municipality in order to be transparent. 

 

The co-mayors established a commission to identify irregularities. Nine criminal complaints were filed with the prosecutor's office regarding the sale of 438 immovable properties worth 588 million TL by AKP member Şeref Albayrak in the last year and the fate of the money that should have been in the municipality's coffers. However, despite the criminal complaints, no progress has been made. 

 

The co-chairs, who found only 15 of the 30 service vehicles in the municipality's inventory in working order, developed austerity measures and paid 34 million 447 thousand 587 TL debt in just 5 months (until October 1, 2024). 

 

3 MONTHS BEFORE AND 3 MONTHS AFTER THE ELECTION 

 

The comparison of income-expenditure in the 3 months before the elections and the 3 months after the elections revealed what kind of municipalism the co-chairs practiced. The 26 million 651 thousand TL received from Iller Bank in the 3 months before the elections dropped to 18 million 188 thousand TL in the 3 months after the elections. The biggest change was in fuel expenses. While 4 million 231 thousand TL was spent on fuel in the 3 months before the election, this expense decreased to one million 184 thousand TL in the 3 months after the election. Expenditures for the purchase of goods and services decreased from 353 million TL to one million 864 thousand TL. 

 

FIRST SERVICE AFTER 8 YEARS 

 

The co-mayors started maintenance and cleaning works of the parks in the center and neighborhoods, which were idle and neglected, and comprehensive cleaning of the streets, and reinforced participatory municipalism by involving the public in this process. The co-mayors started to bring services to many rural neighborhoods that were not served during the trustee period and the 8 years when AKP won the municipality with carried votes, and brought services to the areas under the responsibility of the metropolitan municipality in line with the demands of the citizens. In a short period of 6 months and 26 days, the co-chairs solved the infrastructure and superstructure problems of many rural neighborhoods and also paid attention to social work.  

 

After taking office, the co-chairs set up an “Alo demand and complaint” line and tried to resolve the incoming requests. 

 

SOME OF THE WORKS CARRIED OUT

 

Some of the works carried out during the DEM Party administration are as follows: 

 

* “40 thousand square meters of keystone laying and repair of keystones on deteriorated floors in many places and the garden and surroundings of the condolence house in 2 villages were made of keystone.

 

* In Gogan rural neighborhood, the stones of 5 parks that were left idle were cleaned, 2 parks were afforested, the ground and infrastructure were made ready for grass planting.

 

* Work was carried out in 3 parks in Argil rural neighborhood. The ground was prepared for grass planting.

 

* A park in the center was named Narin Children's Park and a children's playground was built. 

 

* The wooden camellias of all parks were maintained, repaired and painted. Renovations were made to children's playgrounds.

 

* A 2-kilometer concrete road was built in Ortayol rural neighborhood.

 

* Gravel was poured on a large part of the streets of Aftar rural neighborhood, and a keystone floor was created.

 

* Retaining walls were built in two dangerous places in Aşağı Xelfetî, the coastline was cleaned and trees were planted.

 

* The requests of citizens in need were evaluated and construction materials were provided.

 

* 300 primary school students were provided with bags and stationery.

 

* A minibus belonging to the municipality provided free transportation within the district every day.

 

* The needs of 30 people with celiac disease were met regularly every month.” 

 

MA / Emrullah Acar