SGK debts in municipalities lost by AKP left to CHP: A staggering figure

Following the call by AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to CHP-run municipalities to "pay your accumulated debts to the Social Security Institution (SGK)," the SGK debts of municipalities that switched from the AKP to the CHP in the March 31 Local Elections have been revealed. It was learned that the Bursa, Balıkesir, and Denizli metropolitan municipalities have a total of 789 million 835 thousand 106 TL in SGK debt from the AKP era.

12punto 25 July 2024

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his statement at his party's group meeting, addressed CHP leader Özgür Özel, saying: "If you want to be of benefit to retirees, give instructions for your municipalities to pay their accumulated debts to the Social Security Institution. Our Ministry of Treasury and Finance will begin collecting the municipalities' debts at the source."

In addition to the Treasury debts of the municipalities that switched from the AKP to the CHP in the March 31 Local Elections, their SGK debts have also been revealed.

DESPITE COURT OF ACCOUNTS WARNINGS, SGK TOOK NO ACTION

According to a report by Mustafa Bildircin from Birgün, based on SGK data, the total SGK debt of municipalities as of 2022 was recorded as 38 billion 669 million 506 thousand 685 TL. It was learned that while the Court of Accounts (Sayıştay) had warned the institution against the SGK debt that has been increasing over the years, the SGK did not take any action regarding collection.

BURSA AT THE TOP

According to the Court of Accounts study on the debts of metropolitan municipalities to the SGK, the SGK debts of the metropolitan municipalities that switched from the AKP to the CHP on March 31 are listed as follows:

Bursa Metropolitan Municipality – 670 million 252 thousand 930 TL (1st place)
Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality – 90 million 855 thousand 852 TL (8th place)
Denizli Metropolitan Municipality – 28 million 726 thousand 324 TL (10th place)

BALLOONING SGK DEBTS

In the Court of Accounts' reports on the Social Security Institution, the debts of municipalities and their affiliated organizations to the SGK were also included by year. The SGK debts of local governments between 2015 and 2022 occurred as follows:

2015: 801 million 2 thousand TL
2016: 1 billion 564 million 908 thousand TL
2017: 2 billion 330 million 62 thousand TL
2018: 3 billion 975 million 776 thousand TL
2019: 7 billion 712 million 831 thousand TL
2020: 12 billion 828 million 373 thousand TL
2021: 19 billion 188 million 90 thousand TL
2022: 38 billion 669 million 506 thousand 685 TL