Following Aydın Metropolitan Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu's resignation from the CHP last August and her subsequent move to the AKP, various findings were included in the municipality's 2025 Court of Accounts Audit Report. While 8 separate findings were listed under the heading of "other findings" in the report, it was noted that some of these had also appeared in audit reports from previous years.
ACCUMULATED ANNUAL LEAVE AT THE MUNICIPALITY DREW ATTENTION
According to the report by Cumhuriyet, the Court of Accounts report determined that municipal employees were not granted their paid annual leave regularly and on time. It was noted that this situation led to the accumulation of unused leave days for workers.
The examination determined that out of 76 permanent workers, 1 had more than 300 days of unused annual leave, 2 had between 200-300 days, 12 had between 100-200 days, and 36 had between 50-100 days.
THE MAJORITY OF VEHICLE LICENSE PLATES WERE ISSUED WITHOUT TENDER
The audit report also included the finding that no "ecrimisil" (occupational compensation) was collected for taxi stands in various areas owned or under the control of the municipality, as required by the State Tender Law.
It was stated that dolmuş, taxi, shuttle, and minibus license plates within the borders of Aydın Metropolitan Municipality were issued without a tender and without a time limit. It was noted that out of a total of 5,668 license plates for minibuses, buses, shuttles, and taxis across the province, only 124 were issued through a tender process, while the remaining 5,444 were operated without a tender and indefinitely.
GREEN SPACE OCCUPATIONS AND RENTAL RECEIVABLES ENTERED THE REPORT
It was determined that no occupational compensation was collected due to occupations and construction occurring on green spaces and park areas of 4,000 square meters or larger in the zoning plan, as well as on roads 12 meters or wider, within the borders of the Kuşadası, Didim, and Nazilli municipalities.
The report also addressed the municipality's rental receivables remaining from previous years that could not be collected. In this context, it was stated that as of December 31, 2025, the total uncollected rental receivables reached 6 million 699 thousand 349.04 TL.
The following assessment was made in the report regarding the matter:
“In the audit work conducted regarding the municipality's 2025 activities, it is observed that as of December 31, 2025, the total of uncollected rental receivables reached 6 million 699 thousand 349.04 TL. Especially with the effect of the inflationary process, the timely collection of administrative receivables is of importance.”
The audits also determined that the inspections of some vehicles belonging to the municipality were not carried out on time.
EXPENDITURES CONTRARY TO THE AUSTERITY CIRCULAR WERE DETECTED
The Court of Accounts report stated that a pre-financial control system had not been fully established in the municipality. It was noted that, in particular, the controls of expenditure documents coming from the legal unit were not carried out completely.
The report stated that various expenditures not in compliance with the Presidential Austerity Circular were also detected. In this context, the renting of 20 furnished 1+1 apartments for the Aydın Metropolitan Municipality volleyball team, regular monthly payments to the local press, expenditures within the scope of representation, ceremony, hospitality, and promotion expenses, as well as some fixed asset purchases were listed.
COLLECTION RATE REMAINED LOW IN SOME REVENUE ITEMS
The report stated that the municipality's average collection rate was 73.8 percent, and this rate remained at lower levels in some revenue items.
While it was noted that the collection rate for occupational compensation revenues in 2025 was 35.46 percent, this rate was announced as 56.69 percent for advertisement and announcement taxes, and 68.96 percent for occupation fees.
The following statements were included in the Court of Accounts report regarding the low collection rates:
“In the finding, it was stated that the collection rate for the municipality's occupational compensation revenues in 2025 was 35.46 percent. Furthermore, it is clearly seen in the table included in the finding text that the collection rate for advertisement and announcement taxes in 2025 was 56.69 percent, and the collection rate for occupation fees was 68.96 percent. It is important for the administration to increase its collections in low-collection revenue items. On the other hand, low collection rates also result in the municipality meeting its financing needs through borrowing from banks. The negative impact that the total financing cost, primarily interest expenses, will create on the municipality's financial structure is very clear.”
News Source: 12punto
