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'Empty treasury' controversy between former and current CHP mayors

Kemal Deniz Bozkurt, the CHP member who handed over the Esenyurt Mayor's office to fellow CHP member Ahmet Özer on March 31, has responded to Özer's 'empty treasury' claims.

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The 'empty treasury' controversy between the former and current Republican People's Party (CHP) mayors of Esenyurt has taken center stage.

The new mayor, Ahmet Özer, who took over the office from Kemal Deniz Bozkurt following the March 31 Local Elections, claimed, "In recent months, many tenders and payments were made with an increasing momentum, and we were handed an empty treasury and a debt of over 3 billion TL."

In response to these allegations, the former mayor of Esenyurt Municipality, CHP's Kemal Deniz Bozkurt, stated that 270 employees had been dismissed from the municipality and made the following remarks:

"When you look from 2019 to 2024, our number of personnel is very similar. Contrary to the accusations, not a single person was hired in excess of our needs. Despite the fact that I clearly explained the situation of Esenyurt Municipality to the newly elected administration during the handover and also provided a signed booklet explaining the situation, the expressions such as 'He left an empty treasury' are not sincere at all."


"HE MADE AN EFFORT FOR US TO LOSE"

Özer issued a written statement regarding the claims Bozkurt included in his social media posts. In his statement, Özer said:

"It is evident through their behavior during the election process and their subsequent actions that certain factions, who want to stand in the way of this power that the people have demonstrated through democracy and who see that this trend runs counter to their own interests within the party, are making an effort to harm the current administration and the municipalities won. No one can cover up their own malicious behavior, their work against the party, and their secret/open efforts to ensure we lose.

Those who talk about their respect, love, and comradeship for the Republican People's Party, but who set aside their party and Esenyurt identity throughout a major election campaign to work like members of other parties, have clearly revealed the level of their supposed party loyalty and emotional bond."

"A DEBT OF OVER 3 BILLION TL HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED"

In recent months, many tenders and payments were made with an increasing momentum, and we were handed an empty treasury and a debt of over 3 billion TL.

This process, which was carried out in a completely deliberate manner, consists of nothing more than an administrative mindset that took steps with a personal ambition due to not being nominated, and an effort to leave a burden and wreckage for the incoming administration. We would like to ask: while it was clear that a new administration would take office, what could be the purpose, meaning, and logic of making appointments to dozens of directorates and deputy mayoral positions at the last minute, in the final week? Can this be explained by well-intentioned, honest administrative behavior?

Following the handover, the share sent by the Iller Bank on April 5 was used to quickly pay personnel salaries and bonuses so that our staff would not be in a difficult situation during the holiday."