SIX ARMENIANS IN ISTANBUL’S MUNICIPAL COUNCILS
BIA
March 31 2009
Turkey
Five Turkish-Armenian men and one woman have been voted into municipal
councils in four district municipal councils in Istanbul.
The weekly Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper has reported that six
Turkish-Armenians have been voted into municipal councils in Istanbul.
In the Princes’ Islands district, Raffi Hermonn Araks has entered
the municipal council under elected mayor Mustafa Farsakoglu from
the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
On the islands, there was also an Armenian mayoral candidate,
Dr. Garabet Yayla. He received 68 votes, 0.8 percent.
Agop Sarıyan was second municipal councillor candidate for the CHP
on the islands; however, because one candidate each of the CHP and
the Justice and Development Party (AKP) were elected, Sarıyan has
not entered the council. Independent municipal councillor candidate
Avedis Hilkat also did not win.
Three councillors in Bakırköy In Bakırköy, a district on the
European side of Istanbul, three Turkish-Armenians have entered
the municipal council with the CHP mayor AteÅ~_ Unal Erzen: Ohannes
Karabeyan, who was sixth on the list, Yervant Ozuzun, who was ninth,
and Bedros Avedikyan, who had been a reserve candidate.
One each in Å~^iÅ~_li and Beyoglu Under the AKP mayor Ahmet Misbah
Demircan in Beyoglu, central Istanbul, Verkin Arıoba has entered
the municipal council.
In Å~^iÅ~_li, mayor Mustafa Sarıgul, for the Democratic Left Party
(DSP) has won again, and Vazken Barın has entered the council in
the district. Harutyun ErguneÅ~_, in sixth place on the CHP list,
did not get in.
CHP councillor candidate Antranik Yontan (13th on the list) in Fatih
did not get in, nor did Herman Balyan, 4th councillor candidate for
the AKP in Kadıköy.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
