Handover Ceremony was held at the Presidency of Migration Management
11.02.2025
Mr. Atilla Toros, who was appointed as the Governor of Mersin, handed over the position of President of Migration Management to Mr. Hüseyin Kök.
With the decree published in the Official Gazette dated 4 February 2025 with the signature of our President of the Republic Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Handover Ceremony was held after the appointment of the President of Migration Management Mr. Atilla Toros as the Governor of Mersin, and the Deputy President of Migration Management Mr. Hüseyin Kök as the President of Migration Management.
Mr. Atilla Toros, who was appointed as the Governor of Mersin, met with the Provincial Directors of Migration Management of 81 Provinces in a video conference before the handover ceremony and said goodbye. Then, Governor Mr. Atilla Toros said goodbye to the personnel working in the central organization at the ceremony held in the Şehit Kadir Kırbaç Conference Hall and handed over the duty of the President of Migration Management to Mr. Hüseyin Kök with the Handover Ceremony.
He was Sent Off to His New Duty Place with Applause
In his speech, Governor Mr. Atilla Toros thanked our President of the Republic Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya for their trust and support during his term of office. He also thanked the directors and personnel of all public institutions and organizations with which they work in cooperation, especially all units of the Ministry of Interior; all migration actors who voluntarily supported the works in the field; all personnel working in the central and provincial organizations of the Presidency of Migration Management and his family. After the ceremony, Governor Mr. Atilla Toros was sent off to his new duty place with applause by the personnel of the Presidency of Migration Management.
Governor of Mersin Mr. Atilla Toros also published a message addressed to the personnel of the Presidency of Migration Management. In his message, Governor Mr. Atilla Toros stated that he has served for about 19 months under the leadership of our President of the Republic Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and with the support of our Minister of Interior Mr. Ali Yerlikaya, and stated that very important decisions have been taken on all issues related to migration management, these decisions have been put into practice rapidly and the results of the works carried out are rapidly reflected in the field. Governor Mr. Atilla Toros continued his words as follows: “What made me proudest throughout this entire process was our principled stance as much as the successful results achieved. Because these activities were carried out on the basis of law, human rights and our national interests; drawing strength from our civilization values; without compromising public order, public security and public health”. Governor Mr Atilla Toros also drew attention to the situation of people who were forced to migrate from their homeland and stated that in this process, Türkiye, under the leadership of our President of the Republic Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has presented an exemplary model for the world with its historical experience, humanitarian approach and rational perspective. Underlining that they work with the principle of “zero tolerance for injustice and lawlessness”, Governor Mr. Atilla Toros stated that he believes that the Presidency of Migration Management will go further every day with its expert personnel and stated that they will continue to work with the same determination and resolution for the peace, security and prosperity of Türkiye in the future.
FULL TEXT OF THE MESSAGE OF GOVERNOR OF MERSİN MR. ATİLLA TOROS
My Dear Family of the Presidency of Migration Management,
It has been one of the greatest honours of my professional life for me to coordinate the drafting of the Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, which established the Presidency of Migration Management and constituted the main backbone of our country's migration management, and then to take part as General Director in the establishment stages of our institution. After four years of working shoulder to shoulder with you between 2013 and 2017, I was reappointed as the President of Migration Management on 15 July 2023 with the approval of our President of the Republic Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It was fortunate to be able to work with you again after 6 years.
For approximately 19 months, under the leadership of our President of the Republic Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and with the support of our Minister Mr. Ali Yerlikaya, very important decisions have been taken on issues related to the areas of responsibility of our Presidency, including regular migration, international protection, temporary protection, voluntary return, border management, irregular migration and combating migrant smugglers, and these decisions have been implemented rapidly. We witnessed together that the results of these decisions were rapidly reflected on the field. What made me proudest throughout this entire process was our principled stance as much as the successful results achieved.
Because these activities were carried out;
Because these activities were carried out;
* Based on law, human rights and our national interests,
* Drawing strength from our civilization values,
* Without compromising public order, public security and public health.
Unfortunately, the number of people forced to migrate from regions where war and conflicts occur, instability and serious human rights violations occur, especially in Palestine, is constantly increasing. In the face of this painful picture, Türkiye, under the leadership of our President of the Republic Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has extended a helping hand to the oppressed; has constantly brought up on international platforms the issues of addressing the root causes of migration and finding solutions to issues that force people to migrate; has constantly brought up on international platforms the issues of addressing the root causes of migration and finding solutions to issues that force people to migrate; and has presented an exemplary model to the world with its historical experience, humanitarian approach and rational perspective.
In today's world, where some countries adopt an attitude contradictory to universal values in migration management and international burden sharing is not being done fairly, the methods developed by Türkiye in accordance with humanitarian values and as a solution to the rapidly changing problems of our age are carefully followed by many countries. For this reason, in every step taken in migration management, we have worked with the sense that we bear the responsibility of being an example to the world.
It is not possible to remain indifferent to the fact that people, including women, children and the elderly, who are forced to leave their homelands, are exploited by migrant smugglers, their right to life is disregarded and tragedies that deeply sadden us all occur. With the will of our Minister Mr. Ali Yerlikaya, a decisive struggle was waged against migrant smugglers together with our law enforcement officers; a determined and uninterrupted struggle was put forward to prevent indifference and irregularity. Because irregular migration is a legally invalid form of human mobility, that not only causes severe loss of rights for migrants, but also puts public order, public security and public health at risk, creates anxiety in the society and has the potential to cause problems that may lead to xenophobia.
On the other hand, important arrangements were made in the field of regular migration. Our activities in all areas of migration management were planned and implemented in a holistic and complementary manner. It was based on the fact that migration can only be beneficial for everyone if it takes place in accordance with the rules. Taking into account the long-term risk and opportunity dimensions of migration, important arrangements were implemented to increase the qualified labour force of our country in the fields of education, science, industry, economy, etc.
I would like to express my gratitude to our President of the Republic Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and our Minister Mr. Ali Yerlikaya for their trust and valuable support during all these works.
In addition, in this process, I would like to thank the Directors and Personnel of our public institutions and organizations that we cooperate with, especially all units of our Ministry of Interior Family; all migration actors who support us in our work in the field based on voluntariness; You, My Esteemed Colleagues working in the central and provincial organizations of our Presidency of Migration Management, where we work with the principle of “zero tolerance to injustice and unlawfulness”; My Beloved Wife D. İrem Toros, who has always been by my side with her patience and love, and My Dear Children Arda Toros and Anıl Toros, whose presence I always feel with me.
After today, I will continue to work with the same determination and resolution for the peace, security and prosperity of our people. I have full faith and confidence that our Presidency, with its expert personnel, will move forward day by day and will continue to make outstanding contributions to our country and the human family with its devoted work in the light of our historical heritage.
I wish for a world where no human being will be forced to migrate and leave the land of their birth.
With deepest Love and Regards,
Atilla Toros
© 2025 Presidency of Migration Management