The 2025-2029 Strategic Plan of the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality has been approved.

In the Büyükşehir Municipality Council meeting last month, the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality’s 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, which was rejected, was discussed again in the November session following President Mustafa Bozbey’s letter regarding its reconsideration. The report was accepted by a majority vote. President Bozbey also stated that the claims about the withdrawal of security personnel from the selatin mosques were not true.

The first session of the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Council in November was held under the chairmanship of Mayor Mustafa Bozbey. During the session, where agenda items and proposals were discussed, the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality’s 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, which was rejected in the previous council meeting, was brought back to the agenda. The report was accepted by a majority vote.

“I brought it back to the agenda thinking that consensus would be appropriate”
Mayor Mustafa Bozbey recalled that he said ‘Strategic Plan should not be rejected’ at the last meeting, stating that as an executive for 20 years, he knows very well how things should be done. He expressed that the understanding of ‘we are in the majority, we can do what we want’ was presented, saying, “I had reminded that there was a condition for the approval of the Strategic Plan. I explained it in detail. If I had shown a stick, I would not have brought this item here today, I would have gone to court and said ‘whatever happens, happens.’ I insisted on bringing it to the agenda here, with the thought that consensus would be appropriate, so that the ideas of our 105 friends would reflect both in the Council and in the services to be provided until the end of the term. This is our approach. The Council will, of course, consider the citizens of Bursa. We were elected to protect the interests of the citizens of Bursa, to serve, and to solve problems. We are responsible for elevating Bursa to the forefront of the world where cities compete. We want our story to be remembered for the right and good services in five years.”

“We have cleaned hundreds of mosques”
Speaking about the report regarding the signing of a protocol between the Bursa Provincial Mufti’s Office and the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality for the cleaning and washing of mosque carpets in 14 districts of Bursa, President Mustafa Bozbey said, “As the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, we have cleaned hundreds of mosques. We are implementing this project as mosque associations and neighborhood heads reach out to us. We are providing this service to mosques that our municipalities cannot reach. There is high demand in this regard, but we brought it to the Council because it would be more effective if we carried it out together with the Provincial Mufti’s Office. Mosques are important to us. We are conducting this cleaning for all places of worship.”

“We will implement the ‘Tourism Inspection’ project”
Addressing the issue of security personnel in selatin mosques, President Bozbey stated that the claims about the withdrawal of security personnel were not true and said, “There is a significant misconception regarding this. Some people have made claims on social media without understanding the text clearly, which does not befit a politician. We will always exhibit a lawful and fair administration. Every year, the municipality can assign personnel to those mosques. We are doing that as well. However, it is stated that ‘it will be done with an annual contract.’ It has been done once, but no further contracts have been made. If something happens to our friend there tomorrow, they will not receive any financial support. In our letter, we say, ‘Come, let’s discuss.’ We are the ones who say, ‘We will provide assistant personnel to all neighborhood heads with a population of over 5,000.’ Are we not going to provide security personnel for our places of worship? We will continue to do so. We will invite them only for the purpose of making a contract. In some places, instead of security personnel, we will implement the ‘Tourism Inspection’ project. Curse those who do politics through the mosque.”

“This Council is against terrorism”
In a statement regarding the discussions on terrorism in the Council, President Mustafa Bozbey said, “All council members in this Council are against terrorism. They are also against terrorists. They are against those who support terrorism. This needs to be well understood. Everyone knows who supported terrorism in the recent past. The whole world knows. We are against terrorism, no matter where it comes from.”