İstanbul Mayor: We Canceled 357 Million Liras Worth of Contracts with Foundations

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İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has said that the municipality canceled 357 million Turkish liras (~61 million US dollars) worth of contracts with several foundations and associations.

Speaking to reporters at the municipality building in Fatih, İmamoğlu said 56 million liras of the expenditure was for "food aid" to a foundation, which he said was "unbelievable."

"Where do you spend this nation's money? A building was constructed to be handed to a foundation. It costs 165 million liras. That building now belongs to İstanbulites."

İmamoğlu assumed office after receiving 55 percent of the votes in the revote on June 23, ending the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its predecessors' 25-year rule in the city.

Statement by the Metropolitan Municipality

The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality has also released a statement, giving details on the canceled contracts.

The Ensar Foundation, the Youth and Education Service Foundation (TÜRGEV), the Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Foundation, the Turkey Youth Foundation (TÜGVA), the Darul Fünun Theology Foundation and the Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Foundation are among the foundations whose contracts with the municipality have been canceled, the statement said.

Bilal Erdoğan, the son of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is a member of the high advisory board of the TÜGVA. Esra Albayrak, Erdoğan's daughter, is a member of the TÜRGEV's board of directors.

The municipality said that it is continuing an investigation the municipality's partnerships with some foundations and associations upon an order by İmamoğlu.

The statement further said that the municipality has paid 190 million liras so far to the foundations for maintenance and repair. It added that 165 million liras have been spent for five facilities that are being constructed for the same foundation. The built facilities will not be given to the foundations, the municipality said. (TP/VK)