Lies and facts: IMM responds to investigation allegations

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Press Consultancy has issued a new statement titled "Lies and Facts" regarding the allegations directed at the investigation.

The statement refuted the claims made by Mehmet İlhan Gülay, including "IMM forced me to donate," "IMM forced the donation; the protocol was signed under duress," and "The company was forced to donate by intentionally delaying zoning plans."

The full text of the IMM statement is as follows:

"Lie: IMM forced businessman Mehmet İlhan Gülay to donate real estate worth approximately 10 million dollars under the instruction of Ekrem İmamoğlu. The lie that the process was managed by Yakup Öner, Buğra Gökçe, and Yavuz Erkut.

Fact: The protocol was prepared in accordance with the decisions of the IMM Assembly dated January 12, 2023, numbered 2022/1511 and 2022/1190.

These decisions are aimed at planning areas reserved for public interest such as education, social facilities, fire stations, and underground parking. Terms such as “abandonment,” “usufruct,” and “public use” mentioned in the plan notes are not donations, but legal public obligations required by the zoning plan. Yavuz Erkut left his position as IMM Secretary General in July 2020. He was not even in office on the dates subject to the allegations.

Lie: The lie that IMM forced the donation and the protocol was signed under duress.

Fact: In a petition dated 16.11.2023, the company declared that it wished to make a donation of its own free will and explicitly stated that it had canceled its previous petition. The “Usufruct Right Establishment and Donation Promise Agreement” dated 24.11.2023 was signed with the notary approval of both parties and was based entirely on legal procedures. The agreement was prepared based on the Turkish Civil Code, the Code of Obligations, and the Municipal Law, and entered into force with the mutual consent of the parties. In this process, the Municipality acted solely in line with zoning and public interest.

Lie: The lie that the company was forced to donate by intentionally delaying zoning plans.

Fact: The planning process began in 2022 and was shaped by the technical opinions of many institutions, including the Ataşehir Municipal Assembly, the IMM Urban Planning Directorate, and İSKİ. All plans were approved unanimously by the IMM Assembly decision in a transparent manner. The commission reports foresee the acquisition of the area for the public in line with the need for social facilities and public services.

The statement that Mehmet İlhan Gülay changed before his release is completely untrue when looking at his own signed petition, the notarized protocol, the IMM Assembly decisions, and the terms of office of the people he allegedly held responsible. Furthermore, the AK Party held the majority on the date the assembly decision was taken. The Zoning Commission Chairman was also from the AK Party.

The allegations are full of historical, institutional, and legal contradictions.

Additionally, the donation protocol was made after the zoning plan was finalized. The fact that the donation protocol was made after the zoning plan passed the assembly is another clear indication that the claim of forced donation is not consistent with reason and logic. The entire process is a transparent, legal, and public-interest-compliant planning application."

News Source: 12punto