Mayor of Hatay says the town could  be delivered to a Syrian mayor in 12 years

LUTFU SAVAS, mayor of Hatay from opposition party CHP, stated that three out of every four babies born in the city were Syrian and said, “If precautions are not taken, Hatay will be delivered to a Syrian mayor in 12 years.”

Speaking to Turkish media, the mayor said Syrian women gave birth to a child every year and that there is a population explosion in polygamous families.

He went on to say, “It was a big mistake to grant citizenship, choice and the right to be elected to Syrians. At this rate, we will fall into the minority.  They are forbidden to buy land, but they constantly buy land decently through their Turkish partners. I’m warning you, we are losing Hatay.”

According to official data, there are 500 thousand Syrians in the city of 1 million 670 thousand inhabitants.  The mayor said, “But the unofficial number is over 800 thousand. About one in every two people is Syrian.  The demographic structure is developing against us. None of us would like the mayor to be a Syrian after 12 years.”

The situation is not getting better and Ankara must attend to the issue

Stating that export, import and gold trade are in the hands of Syrians in Hatay,  the mayor said: “If there were a Syrian candidate in Reyhanlı, he would have won the election by a clear margin. The balance is changing in many districts. Turkish citizens cannot become citizens in the TRNC (Turkish Cyprus) before 12 years. Why does a Syrian become a citizen immediately? This is the last place that Ataturk added to the national borders. The ground is slippery in this geography. If Hatay goes, other places may go as well. We are striving so that we don’t lose. But I can’t solve it alone. Ankara should really do this national struggle.”