Corruption Allegations Against AKP in Three Municipalities That Switched to Opposition

*(L-R) Adanana Mayor Karalar, İstanbul Mayor İmamoğlu and Ankara Mayor Yavaş

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The new administrations in Istanbul, Ankara and Adana metropolitan municipalities, which switched from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) after the 31 March local elections, began to broadcast the municipal council meetings live.

They also began to publicize the municipality's budget, the amount of debt taken over, where the municipality had allocated funds and allegations of corruption.

This created a picture of the financial situation of the municipalities under the former administrations at the end of the five-month period.

We have compiled the statements and allegations made to date:

Ankara: 1.5 million lira payout to unfinished business

* Mayor Mansur Yavaş said they have taken over the municipality with a debt 9.5 billion liras. 

* Between 2014 and 2017, the ANFA, a company owned by the municipality, was assigned for excavation casting for 30 thousand liras per month, upon a decision by the municipal council. The ANFA gave this job to Osmanlıspor with a monthly contract of 100 thousand liras. An investigation was launched because the costs were transferred to other sources instead of the municipality and causing public loss.

* An extra payment of 150 to 200 million liras was made in tenders for green fields.

* A criminal complaint was filed against the Seğmen Water Mining Machinery Food Construction Inc., a municipal company, a criminal complaint was filed for 5 million 750 thousand liras of corruption.

İstanbul: 357 million liras transferred to foundations

* Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu said that the current debt of the municipality, which has a budget of 42.6 billion liras, is around 30 billion liras.

* İmamoğlu announced that from the budget of the municipality, 30.5 million liras were transferred to the Ensar Foundation, 232.3 million liras to the TÜRGEV, 11.1 million liras to the Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Foundation, 76.5 million liras to the TÜGVA, 2.4 million liras to the Daru'l Fünun Theological Foundation and 4.2 million liras to the Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Foundation. The total amount of money transferred to the foundations was 357 million liras.

* The municipality also canceled the decision on the allocation of five separate immovable properties worth of 169 million liras for the foundations. Besiktaş Dikilitaş Youth Center and car park project, which cost TL 10 million, Küçükçekmece Atakent Youth Center and dormitory project, tendered TL 90 million, Bağcılar Yenimahalle dormitory and car park project tendered TL 32 million, Üsküdar Çengelköy dormitory and car park project tendered TL 17 million, Beyoğlu Örnektepe Youth Center and car park project were canceled.

* It was determined that 2,500 people had been hired at the municipality between the canceled March 31 elections and Juen 23 revote. The municipality has launched an investigation about those recruited between January 1 and June 23.

* The Court of Accounts said in its 2017 reports that it found there were irregularities of 753 million liras. After the reports were published, the CHP İstanbul Provincial Organization filed criminal complaints against the Metropolitan Municipality, the İstanbul Electricity, Tramway, Tunnel Management (İETT) and the İstanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ).

* According to the report of the Court of Accounts, 2,378 immovable properties belonging to the Metropolitan Municipality were occupied in violation of the law and rents could not be collected from the occupied places. In 2017, of the nearly 208 million liras in receivables, only 44 million liras was charged.

* In 2017, approximately 147.5 million liras were given to 140,179 families receiving social aid through "Istanbulkart". However, families were only able to use this card in the contracted nine grocery chains.

* A large number of immovable properties of the İSKİ and the İETT were allocated the electricity distribution companies for free. The real estates, which are owned by the İETT and has a registered value of TL 157 million, were in the actual use of those companies and no price was paid to İETT.

* According to the report; in 2018, the municipality awarded 64 of the 408 tenders to its subsidiaries, resulting in substantial losses. The subsidiaries divided the tenders they received from municipalities with special specifications and commissioned them to other companies.

Adana: 5 million liras paid but water wells not opened

The allegations of corruptions made by Mayor Zeydan Karalar:

* The 35 water wells never opened despite a 5 million lira payment. Only the well cover was made and the construction price was allocated from the municipality.

* Adana Water Sewerage Administration (ASKİ) paid 60 million liras of public damages in 4 months. The deficit of the ASKİ was increased from 10 million liras a month to 15 million.

* 6.4 million pages were printed at the ASKİ. It bought 5,524 toners for printing work that could be done with 1,000 toners. But the delivery of the 1,000 toners that were billed was not done. The municipality suffered a loss of 2.1 million liras.

* A company that is not qualified won a tender for water and electricity meters. It was unable to supply most of the meters because of lack of competence. The firm's 2.2 million lira guarantee is recorded in a revenue-generating property. The firm is also fined 8.3 million liras. (RT/EKN/DB/VK)