01.07.2025 12:51
The İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into 'corruption' and 'irregularities' concerning the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. A total of 157 people, including former İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer and CHP İzmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu, have been detained. Regarding the investigation, which is claimed to have started based on a complaint by İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay, Tugay stated that they have not filed any criminal complaints.
An operation was carried out in the morning as part of the investigation initiated by the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality regarding allegations of "corruption" and "irregularities."
ARREST WARRANT FOR 157 PEOPLE
As part of the investigation, 157 people, including former İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer and CHP İzmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu, were taken into custody.
CEMİL TUGAY DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS OF "COMPLAINT"
On the other hand, it was claimed that the corruption investigation against the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality began with a complaint from Mayor Cemil Tugay. Following the controversial claim, an explanation came from Cemil Tugay.
Tugay, speaking to the local news site Gündeme Bakış, stated that they had not made any criminal complaints, saying, "Among those currently detained are our general manager, our deputy secretary general, and our department heads. Each of them is valuable to us. There is an unjust accusation."
Tugay's words were as follows:
"Our internal audit conducted an investigation. We did not make any criminal complaints. We did not file a complaint. We did not make any criminal complaints against Soyer and Aslanoğlu either. The Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Interior conducted an investigation regarding the cooperative a few months ago and left. In February 2025, the prosecutor's office requested the files related to the İZBETON tenders from us for the past years. We sent them. I want to emphasize that we have no investigation regarding Şenol Aslanoğlu and Tunç Soyer. Many of our friends have been taken into custody. Our general manager, our deputy secretary general, and two of our department heads are among those detained... These are valuable names for us. They are facing an unjust accusation."
WHAT ARE THE ALLEGATIONS?
It was reported that the suspects were taken into custody based on the "Court of Accounts Report," "Ministry of Interior Inspector Report," "Environmental and Urbanization Provincial Directorate Inspection Report," "İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Inspection Board Internal Audit Report," and expert reports for the crimes of "manipulating the tender," "manipulating the performance of the obligation," and "qualified fraud."
Soyer was taken into custody by police officers from the Anti-Terror Branch in the morning hours. The investigation is being conducted by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office responsible for combating terrorism. The allegations are being treated as organized crime. In 2020, an earthquake occurred with its epicenter on the Greek island of Samos, which also affected İzmir.
INVESTIGATION INITIATED AFTER COMPLAINTS
After this earthquake, the municipality's company İZBETON was granted urban transformation authority. Work began during the process, but after a while, there were citizens who filed complaints with the prosecutor's office. In this context, an investigation was initiated by the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. A letter was sent to the Ministry of Interior requesting permission for the investigation. Following the received permission, the operation began in the early hours of this morning.
"CORRUPTION THROUGH İZBETON COMPANIES"
The statement from the prosecutor's office included the following expressions: "Corruption through İzmir Metropolitan Municipality/İzbeton and subcontractor companies has been identified based on the Court of Accounts Report, Ministry of Interior Inspector Report, and Expert Reports, and within the scope of the investigation conducted under the coordination of the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office; operational work was carried out on 01.07.2025, and an arrest warrant was issued for 157 people."
Some of the suspects for whom arrest warrants have been issued are as follows:
- Tunç Soyer (Former Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality)
- Şenol Aslanoğlu (CHP İzmir Provincial Chairman)
- Barış Karcı (Former Secretary General of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality)
- Heval Savaş Kaya (Former General Manager of İzbeton)
- Ulaş Aydın (Deputy Secretary General of Manisa Metropolitan Municipality)
- Engin Güzel (Deputy Mayor of Buca)
- Özgür Ozan Yılmaz (Former Deputy Secretary General of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality)
- Çağlar Kalkan (Member of the İzmir Chamber of Commerce Assembly)
- Gaffar Karadoğan (Deputy Chief Physician of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Eşrefpaşa Hospital)
- Gürkan Erdoğan (General Manager of İZSU)
- Mehmet Hanifi Mert Yılmaz (Deputy Mayor of Bayraklı)
- Haydar İzgin (Deputy Chairman of CHP Bornova District)
- Övünç Özgen (Deputy Secretary General of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality)
- Fırat Erkol (Son of CHP Ankara Provincial Chairman Ümit Erkol)