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FIRST AWARDED, THEN ARRESTED |
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“After being honored as ”The Most Successful Mayor“, he was taken into custody as a part of the show-off operation named “Arasta Operation”. “The Most Successful Mayor” is ARRESTED at the moment!”
In the contest named Mayors of the Year, organized in Marmara Region by the magazine Şehir ve Başkan, the winning Mayors elected with the votes of 471 journalists were presented with their awards at a ceremony held in Tamer Levent Theater Hall of Çorlu Municipality.
In the poll where 471 votes were counted, Hamdi Sedefçi, the Mayor of Edirne, was honored as the Provincial Mayor of the Year in Marmara Region.
The prize of the Mayor Hamdi Sedefçi was presented by Misket Dikmen, Member of the Administrative Board of İzmir Association of Journalists and at the same time a TRT (The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) announcer. The Mayor Mr. Sedefçi in return gave as a present to Atilla Sertel, the licensee of Şehir ve Başkan magazine, a Kırkpınar statuette as a souvenir of Edirne.
HE PRESENTED EDİRNE IN THE CEREMONY AS WELL
Delivering a speech in the award ceremony, the Mayor Hamdi Sedefçi stated that he shared the award with all the people of Edirne, saying:
“This is the 3rd term of office I have been serving as the Mayor. I am engaged with the task of municipal-governing for 19 years. I have lived these 19 years with honor and good reputation. Municipal-governing is a very honorable but at the same time a very arduous mission. One has to be valiant, self-assured and dauntless in order to serve as a mayor. Unless one possesses these attributes and to some extent fails to act foolhardily, it is almost impossible to attain success. A mayor must undertake the risk of being shot, being imprisoned as well as being killed. I was shot, and also imprisoned. What remains then? To die: I am ready for that as well. A mayor can attain success only if he/she has such courage. The real award I receive is the smile I see in the faces of our people, their saying “Thank you, Sir Mayor”. Such awards we receive from the people stimulate, energize and, so to speak, enthuse us. I have been serving as the Mayor for 14 years. Edirne is a city of history and culture, which served as a capital for the Ottoman Empire. It is a very special city with its rivers, mosques and its Kırkpınar tournament. Edirne shall become a city of tourism, not industry. It was misfortunate for being a frontier city. Yet, today this misfortune has been reversed since 2 neighboring countries have become EU members. As a member of a party in opposition, I have been serving as the Mayor for 14 years. I feel myself lucky to have been elected by my people to this honorable and respectable office for the third time.”
“EDİRNE, THE OTTOMAN CAPITAL OF THE PAST AND THE LAST BASTION OF OUR REPUBLIC IN THE WEST TODAY”
In the first 2 terms of my Office, we enjoyed quite favorable relations with Ankara. We were like brothers, like a father and son with Mr. Süleyman Demirel. Those times we could easily submit projects to and receive funding from Ankara. Unfortunately, in the present term, what has happened is the exact opposite of the former terms. While I confronted with only 10 inspectors in 10 years, now I have seen 40 in the last 4 years. Every month I receive distress warrants from the Tax Office. I respect what is being done here. But, of course, only if it is the case with all the other municipalities. While Ankara Metropolitan Municipality is indebted by 5-6 billion YTL and no one does anything about it, the Municipality of Edirne is indebted only by 1,000 – 2,000 YTL and immediately distressed. This is an injustice done unto Edirne and its people, if they really know what injustice is. We will never become crestfallen; will always hold our heads high and struggle. I am sure of one thing: Edirne was the Ottoman capital of the past and the last bastion of our Republic in the West today”
HE HAS DRAWN LONG APPLAUDING
Following his speech, Mayor Hamdi Sedefçi won a long applauding from the guests in the hall. |
| 16 04 2008 11:44 |
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