Seizure order issued for CHP-run Seyhan Municipality

The CHP-run Seyhan Municipality in Adana has faced a seizure order due to debts remaining from the previous term. Mayor Oya Tekin described the seizure process carried out in her office as "a reflection of the systematic pressure on CHP-run municipalities."

In a written statement issued by the municipality, it was stated that the seizure was a result of the heavy debt burden inherited from the past, and the following remarks were included:

"When we took office, we encountered a municipality where the election budget had been spent and which had been handed over with high debts. Despite bank loans taken out with borrowing authorizations obtained by the previous administration, unpaid debts have dragged our municipality into a major financial crisis. Furthermore, the 140% increase in personnel salaries following the Collective Labor Agreement (TİS) signed on March 1, 2024, and rising social security and tax debts have further disrupted financial balances. The central government's decision to cut 40% of the budget share transferred to the municipality has also exacerbated this process."

"WE ARE STRUGGLING TO ENSURE FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE"

The municipality stated that despite all these financial difficulties, they are working to meet the basic needs of the public. The statement included the following details:

"We opened City Restaurants (Kent Lokantaları) with the support of business people to offer affordable meals to our citizens in Seyhan. Instead of high-budget tenders for park maintenance, we implemented social responsibility projects and achieved financial savings by providing employment to women. However, there are disruptions in payments due to debts from the past. Our municipality is determined to pay its debts and restore financial discipline with a transparent and solution-oriented approach. The support of the people of Seyhan is our greatest strength."

"THIS SEIZURE IS A SYMBOLIC ATTEMPT"

Seyhan Mayor Oya Tekin, who held a press conference in the office where the seizure took place, claimed that CHP-run municipalities are being economically squeezed by the central government. In her statement, Tekin said:

"As I stated during the election process, my office is the streets, not buildings. The seizure process carried out here today is symbolic. The desk and chair in the office do not hold enough value to cover the debt. This is part of the systematic pressure applied to prevent CHP-run municipalities from producing services."

Stating that they are struggling with the debts inherited from the previous administration and are not disrupting services, Tekin said:

"Despite the weight of the financial picture, we are working with all our might not to victimize the people of Seyhan. By using our resources more efficiently, we have implemented social projects, increased women's employment, and opened City Restaurants. However, the seizure we face today is not just a financial problem, but a result of the pressures on CHP-run municipalities. We will continue to fight against those who try to intimidate us with the same determination we had on the first day. We will never let the people of Seyhan be victimized."