Details of the 'robbery' at Üsküdar Municipality revealed! One leased for 49 years, another made the municipality pay...

For many years the AKP's stronghold Üsküdar Municipalitychanged hands in the March 31 local elections.

Üsküdar's first female mayor, CHP's Sinem Dedetaş,has launched an investigation into the properties allocated to partisan foundations and associations during the AKP era.

According to the report by İsmail Arı from BirGün; It has been determined that 30 buildings, which are either owned or leased by the municipality, were allocated to foundations and associations "free of charge". It was reported that the money paid from the municipal treasury for the buildings given to cronies and religious communities reaches 6 million TL annually.

ALLOCATIONS WILL BE CANCELLED

During the June meeting of the Üsküdar Municipal Council, the proposal regarding the cancellation of the free real estate allocations made to associations and foundations was referred to the Law and Property Commission. The CHP group, which holds the majority in the Municipal Council, is expected to accept the proposal at tomorrow's council session and decide to cancel the allocation procedures.

"49-YEAR COOPERATION PROTOCOLS WERE SIGNED"

In her speech at the first session of the June Municipal Council meeting, Dedetaş drew attention to the findings of the Court of Accounts and stated, 'Public administration cannot lease its real estate to other persons, foundations, or associations free of charge, except for public purposes. It also cannot set the duration of cooperation protocols for longer than 30 years.' Here, 49-year cooperation protocols have been made. These allocations must be canceled and preparations for new cooperation protocols must be made. The main purpose of today's proposal is to eliminate the illegality and to ensure that the real estate under our municipality's disposal is utilized effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with the public interest, in a way that all residents of Üsküdar, especially women, the elderly, and children, can benefit from. she said.

Stating, 'We cannot and will not allow public property to be given to any association or foundation in a manner contrary to procedure,' Dedetaş also said: 'There are different issues here. One is free allocations; the public's free allocations. Another is the municipality giving its own real estate to foundations and associations. Another issue is that there are places rented from private individuals, for which the municipality pays the rent, but which are used by foundations. Therefore, there is a significant public loss. The Court of Accounts has already underlined this. Since we promised to manage the municipality in accordance with the law and regulations, we will vote on the cancellation of these allocations in articles 4 and 5.'

30 PRO-GOVERNMENT FOUNDATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS

The allocations made free of charge by the Üsküdar Municipality to 30 separate pro-government foundations and associations during the AKP era are as follows:

• TÜRGEV: The building in Kısıklı Neighborhood, owned by Üsküdar Municipality, was allocated for 49 years in 2017 to TÜRGEV, where Bilal Erdoğan and Esra Albayrak are executives.

• The building in Çengelköy, owned by Üsküdar Municipality, was allocated for 49 years in 2018.

• Ensar Foundation: In 2018, the municipality allocated its building in Bulgurlu for 49 years to Ensar, which is remembered for the sexual abuse scandal.

• The municipality's building in Hacı Hesna Hatun neighborhood was allocated for 49 years in 2018.

• The building in İcadiye neighborhood, which has a monthly rent of 160,000 TL, has been under the foundation's control since 2019.

• Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi Foundation: The building in Bulgur neighborhood, also owned by the municipality, was allocated for 49 years in 2019 to this foundation, which is affiliated with the Erenköy Community.

• Darülhadis Science, Culture, Research and Aid Association: In 2022, the municipality

allocated the building in Validei Atik neighborhood to the association affiliated with the Erenköy Community. The municipality had rented the building from the General Directorate of Foundations (VGM).

• Hazar Education, Culture and Solidarity Association: The building in Murat Reis neighborhood, rented from the VGM, was allocated by the municipality for 10 years in 2023.

• Istanbul Sufism and Music Research Association: The building in Ahmediye neighborhood, rented from the VGM, was allocated for 10 years in 2018.

• Atik Valide Mosque Protection, Preservation and Beautification Association: The historical structure, leased from the General Directorate of Foundations (VGM), was allocated to the association for 5 years shortly before the local elections.

• Yedi İklim Association: The building in Sultantepe Neighborhood was allocated to the association for 22 years in 2021.

• Classical Thought School Association: The building, leased from the VGM in Murat Reis Neighborhood, was allocated for 10 years in 2019.

• Classical Turkish Arts Foundation: Former Üsküdar Mayor Hilmi Türkmen, from the AKP, is also among the foundation's directors. The building was allocated for 10 years in 2023. In a statement he made at the time, Türkmen had said, 'The Classical Turkish Arts Foundation also assists citizens sent by the municipality and organizes courses.'

• Yedi Hilal Association: The building in Sultantepe Neighborhood was allocated in 2023. The association is known to be close to the government.

• Ferşad Foundation: A building was allocated for 19 years in 2023 to this foundation, which is linked to the Naqshbandi Order.

• Human and Civilization Foundation: A building was allocated for 10 years in 2017.

• Çağırgan Science and Culture Association: The association's president, Fuat Sağıroğlu, had served as a defense attorney for the defendants in the Madımak Massacre. A building was given for 10 years in 2023.

• Nil Education and Assistance Association: The founders of the association include former AKP deputies Ravza Kavakcı and Mihrimah Belma Satır. Additionally, the municipality allocated a building in 2032 to the association, where President Erdoğan's daughter, Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, is also an executive.

• İftah Science and Culture Association: A building was allocated for 10 years in 2016.

• Selami Ali Efendi Science and Art Foundation: A building was allocated for 5 years in 2020.

• Istanbul Volunteer Educators Association: A building was also allocated to this partisan association for one year this year.

• Aziz Mahmut Hüdayi Foundation: Another building in the Kısıklı neighborhood was allocated to this foundation, which is affiliated with the Erenköy Community, for 5 years in 2019. The municipality pays a monthly rent of 65,000 TL for the building.

• Yavuztürk Neighborhood Education, Culture, Social Assistance and Solidarity Association: A building was allocated for one year last year. The rent for the building is paid by the municipality.

• Kalyon Foundation: A building in the Küçük Çamlıca neighborhood was also allocated to this foundation, which is affiliated with Kalyon Holding, one of the companies that receives the most public tenders.  

• Safa Education, Assistance and Solidarity Foundation: The municipality leased the building it allocated to this foundation, which is close to the Naqshbandi sect, from the TCDD (Turkish State Railways). The duration of the allocation made in 2021 was set at 10 years.

• Çınar International Culture and Art Association: The building in Acıbadem Neighborhood, owned by the Municipality, was allocated for 10 years in 2020.

• Social Development Center Education and Social Solidarity Association (TOGEMDER): A building was allocated for 25 years in 2020 to this association, of which Emine Erdoğan, the wife of AKP President Erdoğan, is the honorary president.

• Rize Associations and Foundations Union Foundation: A building owned by the municipality was allocated for 25 years in 2021.

• International Maarif Mothers Association: A building owned by the municipality was allocated for 17 years in 2019.

• Bereket Soup Kitchen and Solidarity Association: A building owned by the municipality was allocated for 25 years in 2022.