The proposal submitted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) members of the Board of Directors is causing reactions in Turkey as the Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul was approached so streets in the the Esenler district of the European side of the city could be renamed.
Front page from Sözcü: "Proceed on 'Erdoğan Avenue' and turn onto 'Akar Street'. Turkey: 'Tayip Erdoğan Boulevard' and 'Hulusi Akar Street' in streets of Istanbul."
The metropolitan municipality may be managed by the mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu of the opposition, however the Board of Directors is controlled by AKP-adjacent members.
During a meeting of the Metropolitan Council, it was proposed - and finally passed - to give the name "Recep Tayip Erdoğan" to a central avenue in the area and adjacent streets names to "Mustafa Şentop" (parliament speaker), "Hulusi Akar" (Minister of Defence) etc.
The members of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in the Metropolitan City Council of Istanbul criticised the proposal by the AKP members to rename the streets after citizens who lost their lives during the failed coup of 2016.
Sözcü, who commented on this decision, presented a map with the names of the streets in the area.
Thus, the central avenue "Recep Tayip Erdoğan" branches off with the streets: "Mustafa Şentop", "Hulusi Akar" and others, but it ends - as the publication scathingly comments - in the "dead end of 2023", meaning the next Presidential Elections, being particularly critical of Erdoğan.
READ MORE: Turkey: "Don't be surprised if Erdoğan declares: 'Greece is my friend'," says former minister.
