MERSIN (İGFA) – At the Assembly Meeting; Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Vahap Seçer, Mersin Commodity Exchange Chairman Abdullah Özdemir, Assembly Speaker Münir Şen, Commodity Exchange Council members and Metropolitan bureaucrats were present.
Speaking at the meeting, Mayor Seçer thanked the services and the evaluations made about him and stated that they were happy when they did good work. Noting that they were proud to successfully complete their 5-year term of office despite the earthquake, pandemic, economic crisis and political obstacles, Seçer stated that they had a good 5 years.
Pointing out that the Metropolitan Municipality is a municipality with extremely strong financial discipline, Seçer said, “Our budget realization rate this year is around 93.5 percent. Last year, we made additional budgets due to fluctuations in these rates. The previous year's budget realization rate was 99.5. These are amazing numbers. These are important indicators of how seriously this municipality is governed. "In fact, these figures show how correct and how disciplined the decisions we have made in the last 1 year have been," he said.
“EVERYONE EXPECTS SERVICES FROM THE MUNICIPALITY BASED ON THEIR OWN LIVING AREA”
Stating that Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, MESKİ and its subsidiaries have a total budget of 30 billion TL, Seçer added that they have debts of approximately 6 billion TL. Seçer said, "This is actually important for you, business people, and is an important indicator of how a municipality is managed." Stating that they have provided services according to their areas of need for citizens from all walks of Mersin in 5 years, Seçer said, “Everyone expects services from the municipality according to their living area. For example, a 48-course meal offered at 10 locations for 3 TL may not interest some people and they may not even know about it. Because his socio-economic situation does not necessitate following him. The beauty, quality and intersections of the road on the boulevard concern those with cars; You cannot get as much satisfaction from the person you created as you do from getting a 10 TL meal or support. Because he doesn't have a vehicle anyway, he doesn't travel by those means, his only concern is the food you give him for 10 TL. "It is his interest that an elderly husband and wife who are sick at home and are not in a position to cook, are sick, and the municipal official regularly brings them hot meals every day, but it may not be the interest of a young man who expects a concert and festival from the Mayor," he said.
“THE BUDGET WE ALLOCATED FOR SOCIAL POLICIES BETWEEN 2019 AND 2024 INCREASED 20 TIMES”
Stating that, on the one hand, they paid the municipality's debts from the past period, and on the other hand, they made investments, Seçer talked about the services provided by the Metropolitan Municipality in the agricultural field. Seçer said, “We supported small producers with a total of 4 million TL in 125 years. We provided many services such as animal husbandry, seedling-sapling and irrigation pipe support. We do these together with unions and chambers of agriculture. We provided a total of 125 million TL support to producers through unions, chambers of agriculture and irrigation unions, without making political privileges, acquaintances, spouses or friends. We saw that this has a return on society and provides a benefit; We made a budget of 2024 million TL only for 119. "The budget we allocated to social policies between 2019 and 2024 increased 20 times," he said.
He chooses; He underlined that, as the Metropolitan Municipality, they have signed many social policies in social areas, from education to food support, from home care service to meeting the milk needs of pregnant women, from milk needs of newborn children to diaper needs and Companion House service. Emphasizing that they do not make any discrimination in their services, Seçer stated that they provide the same services in the districts and rural areas as they do in the center, and said, "There is no such thing as 'The neighborhoods here gave us less votes, the neighborhoods here voted more, they made ideological distinctions, they were affected by our ethnic structure and did not vote'." "We did not make such a distinction," he said.
“THESE ARE ALL TRAFFIC COMFORTABLE TOUCHES”
Stating that the works are continuing at full speed to make urban traffic more comfortable, Seçer said that after taking office, they completed the Anıt Katlı Intersection, which was the first to fail, and put it into service within 35 days, followed by Sevgi Katlı Intersection, Göçmen Katlı Intersection and Dikenli Yol Underpass. Stating that they offer it to the people of Mersin, he said, "These are all traffic-relieving touches."
Stating that they opened overpasses and new boulevards within the scope of the works, Seçer said that as a result of the ongoing works on the 2nd Ring Road, a 1-kilometer section was opened for use and the 2-meter section will be opened as of February 200. Pointing out that the road, which is 15 thousand 3 meters long in total, has a completely new and modern structure with its infrastructure and superstructure, Seçer said, “200. The Ring Road is a new ring road that we brought to Mersin. Again, we connect the 4rd and 3th Ring Road from Mimar Sinan Street to University Street. We are opening a boulevard for you that is approximately 4 kilometer long and 1 meters wide. "From now on, vehicles coming from the 35rd and 3th Ring Road will go down to the Saya Park intersection via 4th Street and head towards Mezitli and will not block the Saya Park intersection," he said.
Emphasizing that the teams are working day and night to complete the roads in question by the end of March, Seçer said, “This is not a matter of getting us a bonus before the election. If we are starting a business, we have allocated its budget. "We do not lay the foundations or tender for an investment that we cannot pay or that will fail due to money," he said.
“WE WILL CONTINUE THE METRO WHERE IT LEFT OFF”
In his speech, Seçer also informed the participants about the Metro Project and reminded that the project waited for 2 years due to the lack of financial permission. Stating that they found a loan of 13,4 million euros, half from IFC and half from EBRD, for the project, which is 150 kilometers in the first stage, Seçer said that the work gained momentum again after the relevant ministry signed the financing permission. Seçer said, “We are continuing the work now. I hope we don't experience any setbacks. Within the first 5-6 months of the new period, we will quickly continue the first stage of the underground 13,5 kilometer metro from where it left off. We will finish the subway. "This is one of our important promises for the second term," he said.
Emphasizing that they will realize the Social Housing Project, one of the projects to which he attaches great importance, for the people of Mersin in the coming period, Seçer pointed out that the project is a European model that will eliminate the lack of social housing in Mersin. Seçer said, “We will build social housing through rental method and open this door to low-income citizens. This will truly be a system where the wheels turn. We attach great importance to this. "Since it is a social project, it is easy to access financing," he said.
Touching on the issue of development plans at the meeting, Seçer said that the plans in Mezitli and Yenişehir were completed, while the plans in Toroslar were largely completed. Continuing his speech by stating that there is no investment where there is no development, Seçer also explained the Mufti Creek Life Valley they will build and said, "We will create a new city park of 500 acres there."
Stating that they kept the promises they made before being elected in 2019, Seçer said, “We have fulfilled 90 percent of the promises we made in that manifesto, or the investments continue and we are making them. Next year it will be even more controlled. We ensured financial discipline. Human resources are very important. "And if you are doing public service and the office you hold is a political office, this is very difficult," he said.
“I AM NOT A MERCHANT, I DO NOT THINK ABOUT MAKING PROFIT”
Adding that he manages the municipality with a publicist approach, Seçer said, “There is a private sector logic in working with finance and quality human resources. I entered politics from the private sector, but I am doing a public service. I am not a trader, I do not think about making a profit. I only support 600-700 million public transportation annually. Students can use public buses for 1 TL. This year, we allocated 250 million lira to social policies. These are serious money. "This is publicism and social municipalism," he said.
In his evaluation of the local elections; "We believe that the people of Mersin will choose in favor of service," said Seçer, noting that he believes that the citizens live in a peaceful Mersin and will take this into consideration when voting, adding: "I am at peace in this city during the term of this mayor. My wife and daughter can easily go to Kültür Park, the street, sit in the municipality's cafe, and attend festivals. Social service works for me too, there is no discrimination. People who say 'My village road was built, my group road was built even though there were not 2 votes for CHP' will look at this. I believe this wholeheartedly. "I believe that we will receive support from our fellow citizens of Mersin for our services," he said.
Mersin Commodity Exchange Chairman of the Board of Directors Abdullah Özdemir said, “There was a difficult process when Mr. President took office. Events such as pandemics, wars, economic crises and earthquakes took place. It went through the general election, and now it's going to local elections. During this period, you made important decisions and did important things. "I wish you all the best in the local elections," he said.
Mersin Chamber of Commerce Council President Münir Şen also stated that they were happy to see President Seçer among them and said, "We thank him for the past 5 years and wish him success for the new term."
After the speeches, Commodity Exchange Council members asked Seçer their questions. Council members also expressed their gratitude to Seçer for his services and wished him success, saying 'We know you will do better'. The council meeting ended with a group photo.
