The Shadow of Irregularities in Municipalities: Allegations of Efficiency and Expenditure
Investigations into alleged irregular expenditures in Ankara and Istanbul metropolitan municipalities are expanding. Three concerts held at Beykoz Municipality and allegations of spending irregularities during the transfer of Tuzlaspor shares are also under investigation.
Investigations in Ankara and Istanbul
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has taken action following reports of irregular expenditures at concerts organized by the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality. The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating whether the events caused public damage.
A similar investigation was launched in Istanbul. Following allegations that the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) made non-transparent expenditures at various events, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an ex officio investigation. These investigations, carried out in coordination with Ministry of Interior inspectors, aim to scrutinize how public resources are used.
Allegations of Irregularities in Beykoz Municipality
Beykoz Municipality was one of the focal points of the investigations. Three concerts organized at a cost of around 20 million Turkish Liras and spending irregularities during the transfer of Tuzlaspor shares to Beykoz 1908 Sports Club came to the fore.
The Prosecutor’s Office has requested an inspector from the Ministry of Interior to determine whether the transactions in question have caused damage to public resources.
Municipalities’ Social Security Debts Scare
The total premium debts of municipalities across Turkey to the Social Security Institution (SSI) reached 150 billion liras. It was revealed that the top five most indebted municipalities are all CHP members. The debts of Izmir, Ankara and Istanbul metropolitan municipalities reached 9.6 billion TL, 8.4 billion TL and 5.9 billion TL, respectively. This table shows that CHP municipalities account for 67.5 percent of the total debt.
Details of Irregularities in the Court of Accounts Report
The findings reflected in the Court of Accounts’ reports also draw attention. It was claimed that IBB Kültür AŞ allocated a budget of 3 billion 155 million TL for events and concerts in the last four years. The report stated that some concert tenders were organized on an ad hoc basis and competition was prevented.
In one tender, although it was stated that artists or performance groups would be paid 2 million TL for their services, it was not clearly stated which artists would provide services within this scope. This situation put transparency and cost calculations into question, calling into question the effective use of public resources.
Addressable Concerts and High Costs
Criticisms of the concerts in the Court of Accounts report include the lack of transparent disclosure of event costs. In particular, the criteria by which artists are selected are not specified, which harms the competitive environment. This is considered contrary to the principle of transparency in public tenders.
