Ekrem Imamoglu refutes allegations regarding a monument in Istanbul

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has publicly addressed accusations that he commissioned a statue of Archbishop Makarios III while serving as the mayor of Beylikduzu between 2014 and 2019. Reports circulating in Turkish media claimed the monument was a statue of the former Cypriot president, but Imamoglu clarified that the work is a 'Cyprus monument' focusing on the 1974 peace operation, Turkish soldiers, and Rauf Denktas. He explained that the monument includes a relief of Archbishop Makarios solely as part of a historical scene depicting the 1959 Zurich and London agreements. Imamoglu stated that the monument was approved by the family of Rauf Denktas and that the accusations are intended to discredit him. Currently, Imamoglu is facing a legal trial regarding allegations of corruption in public office. He remains in detention and reports that his university degree has been revoked. Imamoglu maintains that these legal actions and the monument controversy are part of a politically motivated campaign to block his potential candidacy against Recep Tayyip Erdogan in future presidential elections. The CHP party has already designated Imamoglu as its candidate for the upcoming presidential contest.