04.06.2025 08:40
In four separate investigations conducted against CHP municipalities in Istanbul, the Mayor of Gaziosmanpaşa, Hakan Bahçetepe, was also arrested. Following Bahçetepe's arrest and the Interior Ministry's decision to suspend him, it is expected that the municipality will change hands due to the majority of the municipal council being held by the AK Party, following a vote to be held in the council.
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22 of the 36 suspects referred to the courthouse as part of the İBB corruption investigation were arrested, while 14 were released under judicial control. Among those arrested are former CHP Member of Parliament Aykut Erdoğdu and 5 district mayors. One of the arrested district mayors is Hakan Bahçetepe, the Mayor of Gaziosmanpaşa.
GAZİOSMANPAŞA MUNICIPALITY MAY SWITCH TO THE AK PARTY
After the arrest of Gaziosmanpaşa Mayor Hakan Bahçetepe, the political balances in the district changed. It is expected that the People's Alliance, which holds the numerical majority in the Municipal Council, will take over the municipality in the upcoming vote.
MAJORITY IN THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL IS WITH THE AK PARTY
In the local elections on March 31, AK Party's Hasan Tahsin Usta received 40.11% of the votes, while Bahçetepe was elected mayor with 40.44% of the votes. In the district municipal council, the situation resulted in favor of the AK Party, which became the first party with 40.86% of the votes, while the CHP received 38.86%. The YRP received 6.31% of the votes, while the DEM remained at 3.94%.
With these results, it is thought that the municipality may switch to the AK Party, which holds the majority in the council.
HERE IS THE STATEMENT OF THE ARRESTED HAKAN BAHÇETEPE
In his statement at the prosecutor's office, arrested Gaziosmanpaşa Mayor Hakan Bahçetepe said, "I started my duty as the Mayor of Gaziosmanpaşa on April 5, 2024, following the local election results. I do not know the person named Aziz İhsan Aktaş you asked about. I started my duty as the CHP Gaziosmanpaşa District Chairman in 2019. Vehicles are allocated to district chairmanships not from any municipality, but directly from the CHP Headquarters. The vehicle identified as belonging to Aziz İhsan Aktaş's brother was allocated to the district chairmanship I lead, not to me personally. I do not know how long the vehicle remained with the district chairmanship. This vehicle has been used for various aids, such as masks or wheelchairs. It does not belong to me; it has been used for public service. This vehicle was used during the pandemic period and has occasionally come to our district and returned to party coordination. After my candidacy for the Gaziosmanpaşa Mayor was announced in January 2024, I had no further connection with either the vehicle or the district chairmanship. Following the objection to the local elections held in the Gaziosmanpaşa district, I was re-elected as mayor on April 5, 2024, after the recount," he stated.
"IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR US TO EXTEND THE EXCAVATION PERMIT AS ALLEGED"
In his statement, Bahçetepe said, "I have met and interacted with many NGOs, tradesmen, or legal entities while sitting in the presidential chair on behalf of my party. I met Özer Ayık during these meetings. I met him twice in the municipal building and I know him as a manager of a fuel company. The claim that Özer Ayık, the mentioned company manager, gave me 300 thousand dollars is false. The excavation permit in question was granted unanimously by the municipal council and was approved by a committee consisting of AK Party members, which is outside my party, and it was a permit that was approved by the previous mayor before me. Prior to this process, it was also passed unanimously by a representative committee from the municipal planning and legal commission, which had a majority outside my party. It is not possible for us to extend the excavation permit as alleged. The permit was granted by the municipal council shortly after I was elected as mayor in April 2024," he said.
"I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE FINDING THAT THE DISTANCE IN THE BASE INTERFERENCES IS '0 METERS'"
In his statement, Bahçetepe said, "I met Özer Ayık face to face twice within the municipality. Other than that, I have had discussions via mobile phone regarding holiday greetings and issues related to employment that I thought might be connected to the White Desk. I have no other contact. It is not possible for me to share a base with Özer Ayık in the Grand Bazaar area. On November 14, 2024, I hosted the Governor of Istanbul at the Gaziosmanpaşa Municipality. I did not go to the Grand Bazaar area that day. In the following process regarding the issue of sharing a base with Özer Ayık, there are Gaziosmanpaşa Municipality Water Arch Social Facility and GOPAŞ Urban Transformation Service Building near his company, and I hold meetings there. Therefore, there may be base interference. However, I do not agree with the finding that the distance in the base interferences is '0 meters.' I have never met Özer Ayık face to face outside of the institution and I have not received any money. The gas station on the TEM Highway does not have a direct request from our municipality. Although there is a gas station within our municipality's borders, it is not the relevant company, but BEDAŞ. I heard about Seza Büyükçulha for the first time through this operation. I have known Baki Aydöner for about 9-10 years since my time as Istanbul Provincial Chairman. I did not have any discussions with Baki Aydöner regarding the alleged excavation permit, nor did I request money from him," he said.
WHO IS HAKAN BAHÇETEPE?
Born in 1988 in the Gaziosmanpaşa district of Istanbul, Bahçetepe is the child of a family originally from Erzincan.
Bahçetepe completed his primary and secondary education in Gaziosmanpaşa, where he was born and raised, and completed his university education in the Accounting and Finance Management department at Istanbul Aydın University. He also started a master's degree in Business Administration at the same university.
Bahçetepe began his political career in the ranks of the Republican People's Party (CHP), serving as the Deputy Provincial Chairman of CHP Istanbul between 2017-2019, and then as the District Chairman of CHP Gaziosmanpaşa from 2019 to 2023. Competing as the CHP candidate in the 2024 local elections, Bahçetepe was elected as the Mayor of Gaziosmanpaşa.
He resides in Gaziosmanpaşa and is married.
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