Former Üsküdar Mayor Türkmen claimed 'the new administration is selling municipal real estate.' A response has come from the CHP-led municipality

AKP's Hilmi Türkmen, who served as mayor of Üsküdar, handed over his seat to CHP's Sinem Dedetaş in the last local elections. 

Today, he made a statement on his social media criticizing the decision to put some municipal real estate in Üsküdar up for sale. Türkmen also published a list of the properties being put up for sale and criticized the new administration.

In his social media post, Türkmen included the following statements:

I wanted to share this specifically so that you, too, can recognize the true face of the CHP, which has vehemently opposed even the smallest sale of real estate or property in Üsküdar for 20 years. 

MUNICIPALITY FOR SALE BY OWNER!

We produced the residences here, selling them off piece by piece over 5 years to balance our budget. 

We acquired the plots of land in exchange for the properties we held. We said we would use them when the time came, if needed. 

The new administration certainly has the right and authority to sell these properties. However, the fact that a sale is being carried out all at once—which we did not do in 5 years even while offering hundreds of works to the service of our nation—shows the true face of the CHP, which vehemently opposed even the smallest property sale.

This is a very, very serious sale. Where is the CHP media that raises hell over the smallest thing?

Moreover, the revenue to be generated from a property sale of this magnitude amounts to 3-4 times the debt remaining from concrete services and the production of works in the previous term. So we ask, what is the rush!

As the Üsküdar Municipality, we produced hundreds of undeniable services and works. Despite this, we handed over the administration as the 2nd municipality with the least debt in terms of budget size and debt balance. 

I ask again, what is the rush then? Is the first solution that comes to mind to sell all available properties in this way? 

And of course, with the revenue to be generated while carrying out a property sale in one go that was not done in 5 years, what services will be provided, and what new works will be offered to the nation? 

Please follow this closely, my dear fellow citizens. 

Our concern is not to beat the vineyard keeper; we know how to applaud if good things are done, but we want our nation to see, know, and recognize some things up close.

Üsküdar’da 20 yıldır en ufak gayrımenkul, taşınmaz satışına bile şiddetle karşı çıkan CHP’nin gerçek yüzünü siz de tanıyın diye özellikle paylaşmak istedim.

SAHİBİNDEN SATILIK BELEDİYE!

Buradaki konutları biz ürettik, 5 yılda parça parça elden çıkartarak bütçemizi dengelemek… pic.twitter.com/dJjfDkBZp8

— Hilmi Türkmen (@hilmiturkmen34) July 4, 2024

RESPONSE FROM THE CHP-LED ÜSKÜDAR MUNICIPALITY

Following the allegations by AKP's Türkmen that 'the new administration is selling the municipality's real estate,' the Üsküdar Municipality issued a statement denying the sale allegations and stated the following:

The posts on social media regarding the Üsküdar Municipality selling its real estate are entirely an attempt to create a perception.

 The housing projects were built during the term of the former AKP mayor Hilmi Türkmen "to be sold," and the revenue to come from the sale was added to the 2024 budget.

 1.3 billion liras of the 5 billion lira Üsküdar Municipality budget for 2024, which was planned in the previous term—that is, 27 percent of the budget—was based on the sale of real estate.

 It is seen that the municipal budget was established on balancing it through the sale of real estate before the new administration took office.

 Real estate sales were also carried out by the municipality in 2023 and between January 1 and March 31, 2024.

 The posts made as if there is a new sales plan do not reflect the truth.

 We present this to the information of the public and our neighbors in Üsküdar.