The accounts of the opposition-led Mersin Metropolitan Municipality were seized due to unpaid debts to the Social Security Institution (SGK) following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s directive to collect overdue municipal debts.
The municipality, governed by the Republican People’s Party (CHP), faced the seizure after Erdoğan’s remarks at a party group meeting, urging municipalities to clear their accumulated debts to SGK. Mersin Mayor Vahap Seçer criticized the move, suggesting it targets opposition municipalities deliberately.
“Thousands of private companies owe the SGK, yet the institution focuses only on municipalities. Is this going to revitalize the SGK? It seems like an attempt to hinder opposition municipalities,” Seçer said.
Erdoğan’s comments have sparked a wave of similar actions against municipalities controlled by opposition parties. Last week, he called on municipalities to settle their debts, igniting debates about the real motives behind the move.
“We were not prepared for such sudden actions. This affects our services. The president, an experienced former mayor, should understand this,” Seçer added. Erdoğan served as the mayor of İstanbul from 1994 to 1998.
Erdoğan’s successor as mayor of İstanbul, Ali Müfit Gürtuna, previously criticized Erdoğan for leaving behind a substantial debt of $1.5 million, highlighting the financial mismanagement during his tenure in the 1990s.
Following the local elections in March 2019, the CHP won numerous key municipalities, previously held by Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP). The AKP’s loss marked a significant shift in local governance, leading to intensified scrutiny over municipal debts.
Seçer accused the government of using the debt issue to undermine opposition municipalities, stating, “This is not about debt recovery but about discrediting CHP-led municipalities.”
Labor Minister Vedat Işıkhan announced that municipalities owe approximately 96 billion lira ($2.9 billion) to the SGK, with 67.7 percent of this debt owed by CHP-run cities. This significant debt burden has become a focal point in the ongoing political struggle between the ruling party and the opposition.
CHP leader Özgür Özel condemned the government’s actions as a “financial coup” against opposition municipalities. He argued that the debt collection was selectively enforced to weaken the opposition.
“These debts accumulated under AKP mayors. Why collect them now, just after the opposition wins?” Özel asked.
Former AKP mayors have faced allegations of leaving substantial debts, which their successors must now address. Many new mayors revealed significant financial mismanagement by their predecessors, contributing to the current debt crisis.
Despite the financial strain, Seçer expressed determination to continue municipal services, stating, “We will face challenges, but we will overcome them as we always have.”