Tanju Özcan, the mayor of the northwestern city of Bolu known for his xenophobic remarks against Syrians, erected banners in the province, saying that this is a “last call” for Syrians to return to their country.
Özcan on Wednesday shared a post showing the banners which were both in Turkish and Arabic.
With the heading “Last call for temporary refugees from the Bolu municipality,” the banners said: “I call on temporary refugees; 11 years ago you said you came to our country as guests ...This hospitage has been going on for too long.”
Citing economic problems in the country, it continued to say: “Under these conditions, we have water and bread left to share with you. The time has come for you to go as you came. You are not wanted anymore, return to your country.”
Özcan has been frequently under fire over his xenophobic remarks since becoming mayor in 2019, including from his Republican People's Party (CHP).
Özcan was also criticized on social media for being "populist" and "fascist," with some even calling for a racial discrimination complaint to be filed against him.
Özcan, who sparked criticism after he proposed cutting social aid to migrants in 2019, already faces a probe for allegedly inciting hate and discrimination.
Last year, he passed a law enforcing an 11-fold increase in water bills and an outrageous markup in fees for performing a marriage ceremony for foreigners during a municipal council meeting.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey (TIHEK) on Thursday said Özcan’s decision on water and marriage fees for foreigners in the province is a violation of the prohibition of discrimination and decided for a 40,000 TL administrative fine.
His party separately started a disciplinary process concerning the mayor, the CHP said in November.
Turkey is home to 5.29 million foreign nationals, 3.7 million of them Syrian refugees under temporary protection, according to government data. The number of Syrians registered in Bolu stands at a mere 1.4% of the city population.
Refugees are widely embraced by the public, but the opposition parties often look to fuel a xenophobic, anti-refugee discourse. CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu repeatedly pledges to “send back” Syrians to their homeland if his party wins the elections.
However, slamming the opposition parties' recent calls to send refugees and migrants back, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last week underlined that Turkey will never push Syrian refugees to go back to their countries as returns will be on a voluntary basis and toward safe zones.
"Turkey will not push them into the arms of murderers," Erdoğan said, adding that hosting those who need protection is part of Turkish tradition.
Erdoğan recently announced a new plan in which hundreds of thousands of homes will be built in opposition-held northern Syria, along with schools, hospitals, and other institutions.
