
An important proposal was made regarding the right holders in urban transformation areas at the first meeting of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Council in 2025. Within the scope of the proposal submitted by the group deputy chairmen of all parties, it was suggested that the rental fee to be paid to the right holders for each independent unit would be 2025 thousand TL for 12.
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Council held its first meeting of the new year under the leadership of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Council Deputy Mayor Altan İnanç. An important proposal was also brought to the agenda in the council. In the proposal submitted by the deputy group chairmen of all political parties, it was suggested that the rental fee to be paid to each independent unit for 2025 be determined as 12 thousand TL and be the same in all transformation areas in order to eliminate the grievances of rightful owners within the scope of the ongoing urban transformation works. In the proposal, it was reminded that work was carried out in urban transformation areas in Uzundere, Ege Mahallesi, Örnekköy, Ballıkuyu, Gaziemir Aktepe Emrez, Çiğli Güzeltepe and that at the beginning of 2024 the council decided that a rental fee of 5 thousand 682 TL would be paid in Örnekköy, 5 thousand 137 TL in Uzundere, and 5 thousand 269 TL in Ege Mahallesi. For 2025, a monthly proposal of 12 thousand TL was put forward in all transformation areas. The proposal drew attention to the fact that rental prices have increased significantly in the current economic process and that right holders are having problems paying their rental prices due to the extraordinary price increases experienced in our country. The proposal submitted was sent to the budget and law committees with an urgent registration.
“The country has tremendous inflation and tremendous interest rates.”
Speaking on the discussions on SGK debts in the Assembly, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Zafer Levent Yıldır said, “Before April 1, the tax debt including default interests is 2 billion 674 million. According to collective labor agreements, the price is reflected differently in mid-year wages considering inflation. Due to reasons such as inflation increasing from 2024 percent to 3,5 percent per month in May 4,5, an exchange application was made on December 24, and although 9 billion 1 million liras were paid to the tax offices for 531 months before that, the figure increased to 6 billion 351 million. The result to be obtained from here is the magnificent inflation and magnificent interest rates in the country. The exchange application was stuck at the General Directorate of National Real Estate on December 24 and time was wasted in the examination there. While this examination was ongoing, 3 billion 712 million of the monthly payment of 1 billion 573 million was deducted. This means a 42,3 percent deduction. "All accumulated bonuses and fringe benefits of employees are paid on January 7. Salaries in organizations other than İZELMAN and İZENERJİ are also paid. It is said that the salaries of both companies will be paid on January 10 and a figure of around 1 billion is deposited into the accounts of employees on January 9," he said.
“We will be in a much better position in 2025”
Yıldır, who also said that 2024 billion worth of investment will be made in İzmir in 20, said, “If we have to talk about general politics while trying to discuss the local agenda, there is a clear reason for this. There is a very serious economic crisis, economic depression in the country. İzmir is one of the places where the economic crisis is reflected. We are trying because we feel that we have to be a solution to the problems experienced by our people living in İzmir. I am sure that we will be in a much better place by the end of 2025.”
“It is 36,85 percent of our total income”
Gaziemir Municipality Balkan Ünal Işık, touching upon the agenda regarding SGK debts, said, “When we look at why we have SGK debts, a very significant portion of the public knows. You need 100 liras for a month, if you earn 60 liras, you have to borrow 40 liras.”
Planning and Budget Commission Chair and CHP council member Candaş Yeter also said that İzmir Metropolitan Municipality does not have any premium debts to SGK or tax debts to the tax office and that all of the aforementioned debts consist of the debts of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality affiliates. Stating that İZELMAN and İZENERJİ’s SGK premium debts were paid in installments with a maturity of 36 months by calculating the deferral interest and that 800 million TL in advance was paid for the SGK premium debts of the two companies before the installment, Yeter said, “We will pay the 30th installment on May 5. A request for installment was made for the debts of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality’s other affiliates to SGK and a 191 million advance payment was made beforehand. We would like it to be known that the perception of ‘They are not paying their debts’ does not reflect the truth and that all good-faith steps have been taken as a municipality towards the payment of the public debts of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality’s affiliates to the state. However, despite all our goodwill steps, the general government deducted 1 billion 572 million TL from the amount to be transferred to our municipality from tax revenues, citing our companies’ tax debts as justification. The deducted amount is 42,34 percent of the share transferred to our municipality from the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. When we add the share transferred from the Bank of Provinces, the deducted amount is 36,85 percent of our total income,” he said.
“Municipalities took on the citizens’ problems”
Speaking at the assembly, Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki said, “Instead of saying ‘these are not my problems’ and stepping aside when the government falls short, municipalities have taken on these problems by saying ‘the citizens’ problems.’ The support to be given to municipalities can be a fundamental starting point to pave the way for municipalities and solve citizens’ problems.”
The members of the Audit Commission were elected
In the assembly, the members of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Audit Commission were also elected by secret ballot. The CHP Group's proposal was Onur Saatli, Banu Gençkan, Yağmur Yurdakul Özkan, and Uygar Kanmış, while the AK Party Group's proposal was Ercan Tekin. As a result of the voting, Onur Saatli, Banu Gençkan, Yağmur Yurdakul Özkan, Uygar Kanmış, and Ercan Tekin were elected to the commission.
The parliament hall was filled with the scent of daffodils
Karaburun Mayor İlkay Girgin Erdoğan left Karaburun daffodils on all the tables in the council hall