Voters Urged to Pick Eco-Friendly Candidates

The Department of Environment has once again called on voters to appoint environmentally-conscious candidates to city and village councils.

Speaking to ISNA, Mohammad Mojabi, deputy for legal and parliamentary affairs at DOE, said, "It is expected that we hand the reins of our cities and villages to qualified individuals—those with verifiable knowledge and experience in urban and environmental management."

He said the government has had meetings with sitting councilors, urging them to pay more attention to the environment when devising urban development plans.

Mojabi's statements come two weeks after Mohammad Darvish, director of DOE's Public Participation Office, encouraged people to vote for those with a proven track record and not be swayed by a candidate's fame.

Tehran City Council has had a number of well-known but know-nothing sportsmen as councilors who have been criticized for their lack of urban management expertise

"People with expertise in economics, environment, urban management and sociology are theoretically well-equipped to manage major cities," Darvish said.

Public opinion, particularly in the Iranian capital Tehran, about city council members took a dive following the fiery collapse of the historic Plasco Building in downtown Tehran in January as a result of gross mismanagement on the part of the municipality and city council.

City council elections in Iran will be held on May 19, alongside the highly-anticipated presidential and midterm parliamentary elections.