Note to Self: Build Self-Glorifying Tower

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(Hurriyet Newspaper, 26 October 2013)

Worth waiting for, one hopes.

Hamdi Sedefci, the CHP (Republican People's Party) mayor of
Edirne, promised during the 2009 mayoral campaign to build a
155 meter high 'Sedefkule' (a tower whose name coincidentally
carries the mayor's surname) in the Yildirim neighborhood. Responding to
criticism that he hasn't made good on his promise, Sedefci declared
that "if I don't build that tower I'll change my name to Hamidiye.
Know this Edirne! If I don't do it I'll change my name to Hamdiye."
(Hamdiye would be the female version of Hamdi).

'You should name a tower after yourself, too.'

Sedefci went on to say that "the tower will be finished in 2015-2016,
God willing, if the people of Edirne give this honorable duty to me
once again."  During the 2009 campaign, Sedefci promised if reelected
as mayor to build  'Sedefkule', which would be seen not only from all of
Edirne, but from Greece and Bulgaria, as well. The complex would
include an entertainment center, stores, a walkway and pool.

Not having brought the project to realization in the ensuing four years,
Sedefci has become the target of criticism from candidates vying for
the 2014 mayoral seat. At a news conference yesterday, Sedefci said
that "One of my promises was to build a tower in Yildirim neighborhood.
Two years ago we decided to call for bids for the project but no sooner
had we done so then inspectors from Sayistay (Government Accounting
Office) came and opened an investigation."

Sedefci went on to say that "when the investigators asked questions
about the costs and beneficiaries involved in the bids everyone became
uneasy. So our friends said 'this will just be a headache for us. Let's forget
about it.' We cancelled the project to assuage our friends. Unfortunately,
that's why the tower has been delayed for a while."

Edirne