Kütahya Municipality's debt hit $52.9M after 20 years under AKP, MHP

After 20 years under the ruling AKP and the far-right MHP, Kütahya Municipality won by the newly elected Eyüp Kahveci from the main opposition CHP with a debt of 1.72 billion liras ($52.9M).

Wednesday April 17 2024 11:33 am

Duvar English

Turkey’s western Kütahya Municipality, which was led by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) between 2004-2019 and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) between 2019-2024, won by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) with a debt of 1.72 billion Turkish liras ($52.9M) in the last local elections.

Newly elected mayor Eyüp Kahveci announced the municipality's debts for the past 20 years and its extravagant expenditures in the first municipal assembly meeting after the elections like his other colleagues from different provinces.

While 66.74 million liras were spent for the municipality service building, an additional 4.5 million liras were spent for its furnishing. Furniture costs included armchairs, beds, a special VIP meeting room.

The municipality building is completed in 2018.

In 2018, 1.425 million lira was spent for the two gates built at the two entrances of the city.

The two gates decorated with Seljuk motifs and tile patterns do not have any functionality.

The Kanal Kütahya project, initiated during the MHP administration, has incurred a cost of 635 million liras for the municipality up to this point.

MHP mayor is reportedly inspired by the infamous "Kanal Istanbul" project.

In 2020 and 2021, the municipality spent over 620,000 liras in the first phase for Kütahya Tower (Vazo Kule) project, which will be built 70 meters high in the middle of the city.

The tower has accrued a total cost of 56 million liras so far, while the project website indicated a total cost of 8.35 million dollars (equivalent to 271.6 million liras).

For the Vadi Kütahya project, the municipality has spent 440 million liras since 2021.

The Kütahya Tower project is planned to be built like a 70-meter vase.