Trabzon’s mayor faces gov’t power

Flocks of white minibuses, the dolmuş of the Black Sea province of Trabzon, cram onto the narrow streets around Maraş Avenue alongside private cars and pedestrians walking between shops and cafes. The paralyzing traffic problems in this city of anchovies, football and 1 million people is the biggest issue for voters, second only to unemployment, in the upcoming March 29 local elections.

The lack of necessary crossroads and highways and the dolmuş carrying the main burden of the city’s transportation are the culprits of the traffic jams, making it a burning infrastructure problem for the city.

Through an improved transportation plan, projects for crossroads, highways and road expansions, Orhan Fevzi Gümrükçüoğlu, the mayoral candidate from the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, counts creating employment potential for 5,000 people within five years as one of his leading commitments. But many who spoke to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review did not find his promises convincing, regardless if they were voting for him or not.

’Just election propoganda’

"It is a lie. He cannot employ that many people. Maybe if he employs them in the construction business, but even now there is no employment potential like that," said 62-year-old Murat Dorul, a tradesmen in central Trabzon. "Absolutely he cannot do it. It is just election propaganda," said Orhan Tektaş, another tradesman.

Dorul and Tektaş have different estimations about the result of the local elections March 29. Dorul believes the AKP will win, while Tektaş believes that the much-loved current mayor, Volkan Canalioğlu, from the opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, will take the ballot again. Dorul and Tektaş represent the two main candidates in the city, but as the incumbent, Canalioğlu, is loved by almost everyone in the city, regardless of supporting him or not. He is the "Volkan Abi" (Volkan Brother) of the city, or just Volkan. "When you have a problem, you can knock on his door at the municipality building anytime without wearing a tie or a suit, just with your ordinary clothes," said Abdülkadir Kavzoğlu, a fisherman pointing out his own untidy clothes. "That is what working class people love," he said, summarizing the magical essence of the reason why Canalioğlu is so popular in the city.

"They work very hard and his smiling face is fair enough for us," said Tektaş, who has openly declared he would vote for him. Dorul, on the other hand, said he is a good person and he did his best, but if the mayor would be from the governing party, the city would develop more. That is the nodal point of the election competition between the two candidates. Canalioğlu’s supporters mainly said he did his best in the city with limited resources and he would win the vote because he is closely interested in the everyday life of the people. "He is present at every wedding or funeral," said Hayrettin Kır, another fisherman.

Acknowledging that Canalioğlu is a good man, some residents also said a smiling face is not enough because resources are needed. That is why the government’s endorsement of AKP’s candidate, Gümrükçüoğlu, made some stop and think again. "I will vote for the party that is in government because of the resources," said a hazelnut merchant, declining to give his name. "It is enough for us if he completes 10 of the 61 projects," he said.

AKP’s Orhan Fevzi Gümrükçü

Orhan Fevzi Gümrükçü, both an engineer and a physician, is from Trabzon but many said they did not know him that well. "I went to primary school, secondary school, and high school here in Trabzon. I worked on engineering projects related to Trabzon for two years.

 Then I worked as a physician in Trabzon for five years. Am I from outside Trabzon?" Gümrükçü said to the Daily News when his opponents criticized him for proposing projects that are under the authority of the central government not the local municipality.

Gümrükçü said he promises to follow the projects that would be done by the government. Gümrükçü does not deny that he took the support of the central government. "And yet they can call Deniz Baykal to walk through the city for an election campaign," he criticized his opponents who blame him for using the support of Minister Faruk Nafız Özak. Visiting the employees of the 112 Emergency Call Center in Trabzon Numune Hospital Wednesday, Gümrükçü said there was no service in Trabzon until now.

CHP’s Volkan Canalioğlu

Canalioğlu, who won the vote in 2004, is a well-known figure in the city with his warm and sincere personality, and he is so far beyond his party, the CHP, that many people said they vote for Canalioğlu, not for his party. Residents from different political views love him.

"We became one with the people and made the municipality get out and meet people," Canalioğlu told the Daily News as he visited tradesmen in a small industrial area. But his opponents criticize him for not presenting concrete services to the city. Canalioğlu, on the other hand, criticized the AKP candidate for presenting already-started projects as if they were his.

"His projects are abstract and for election propaganda. I am curious what would happen if the license plate of Trabzon was 01," he said. One of Canalioğlu’s projects is a light-rail system to combat the traffic problem. "They called this project a dream," he said. Canalioğlu’s slogan also reflects the spirit of Trabzon people. "Bordeaux, blue in Turkey, Brother Volkan in Trabzon," is his slogan.