04.07.2025 18:22
As part of the 'corruption' operation in İzmir, a total of 30 people, including CHP İzmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu and İZBETON General Manager Heval Savaş Kaya, were arrested out of 99 individuals who were referred to the court with a request for arrest following their testimonies to the prosecutor's office. Former İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer, whose statement at the Peace Criminal Court has concluded, was also referred to the court with a request for arrest.
In the corruption investigation held in İzmir, a detention order was issued for 30 out of 99 individuals who were referred to the court with a request for arrest.
The 'corruption' operation in İzmir is ongoing. Among those detained, 99 were referred to the court with a request for arrest.
30 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED
After the prosecutor's statements, a total of 30 individuals, including CHP İzmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu and İZBETON General Manager Heval Savaş Kaya, were arrested out of the 99 individuals referred to the court with a request for arrest.
Former İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer, whose statement at the Peace Criminal Court has concluded, was also referred to the court with a request for arrest.
SOYER AND ASLANOĞLU'S STATEMENTS REVEALED
While the suspects' procedures at the courthouse continue, the statements of Soyer and CHP İzmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu at the police station were revealed. In his statement, Soyer, who defended himself regarding the Örnekköy Urban Transformation Project, said, "We aimed for less money to come out of the citizens' pockets. However, since the contractors did not find the additional 20% rate sufficient, they faced a situation where property owners had to pay much heavier costs. We produced the solution of cooperativization so that citizens could build with lower costs. İZBETON has opened the way for providing contracting services to citizens at very low fees due to the very low VAT rate of 1%. Inspired by the Public Housing projects we implemented in the Bayraklı region, we decided to primarily involve İzBeton A.Ş. in the tenders and to have the constructions done by cooperatives to be established on behalf of this company.
We made this decision unanimously in the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Council. In the third phase of Örnekköy, where 1018 houses will be built, it was aimed to build houses for 500 rights holders with a 500-person cooperative. A unanimous decision was also made in the municipal council for İZBETON to build the third and fourth phases of Uzundere. After that, the assignment of the work to cooperatives by İZBETON is a matter I am not involved in. These transactions were carried out under contracts by Heval Savaş Kaya, who is the General Manager of İZBETON. I do not think there was any irregularity in the transfer to the cooperatives. I am not involved in the transactions that will be given to cooperatives or other companies by İZBETON in return for contracts," he said.
"CONSTRUCTIONS ARE CONTINUING, EVEN IF SLOWLY"
In the continuation of his statement, Soyer noted that the projects in Gaziemir and Uzundere have slowed down due to economic reasons. Soyer stated, "The reason for the slow progress in the projects in Gaziemir's first phase and Uzundere's third and fourth phases is that the current economic conditions, both the increase in inflation and the continuous rise in raw material prices, have caused the work to slow down in the ordinary course of life. However, this slowdown does not mean that the constructions will not be completed," he said. Soyer also mentioned that rental assistance is provided to the victims of Uzundere until the urban transformation is completed and that there is no irregularity in this incident, stating that no one has been deceived in this matter and that the constructions are continuing, albeit slowly.
"NONE OF THE DAMAGES ARE BASED ON FINALIZED DETERMINATIONS"
Stating that all contracts signed with İZBETON have passed the council's approval, Soyer said, "None of the damages mentioned in the accusations are based on finalized determinations. Decisions regarding rental assistance are made not by İZBETON but by the decisions taken by the Metropolitan Municipality Council and are updated every year. Furthermore, the processes attributed to me in terms of responsibility are not under my personal responsibility as either the Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality or the President of İZBETON. They are all processes that have been put into effect by council decisions," he said.
"THERE IS NO IRREGULARITY BETWEEN THE MUNICIPALITY AND İZBETON"
When asked about the complaints of cooperative victims, Soyer stated that he had no knowledge of the matter, saying, "I do not know what was done with the money collected on behalf of the cooperative. I do not know where it was spent or sent. The problems raised are issues between the cooperative management and the members. The matter has nothing to do with me. This statement has nothing to do with the crime of qualified fraud. I do not know the individuals and companies mentioned in the cooperative. The main reason for the delay in the constructions is the economic problems and rising costs. The work and transactions carried out by the cooperatives within the scope of their daily activities are the responsibility of the management of the cooperatives. As I have explained from the beginning, there is no irregularity in the transactions made between the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and İZBETON," he said.
"I LIVE IN ULAMIŞ'S VILLAGE"
Stating that the crime of 'qualified or unqualified fraud' will not enter his household, Soyer continued:
"If no one had participated in the urban transformation tenders that have been opened for years and if I had followed the same path with the urban transformation goal that has remained unresolved, my statement would not have been required today. 20 years ago, during my tenure as the secretary general of the EXPO 2015 candidacy, I spent millions of dollars with a single signature. Then, I managed billions of lira budgets for 10 years in Seferihisar Municipality and for the next 5 years in İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. I managed larger amounts than many ministries and large holdings. I still reside in a 2.5-story house with a 75 square meter footprint in the rural area of Ulamış village in Seferihisar, not in Alsancak or Alaçatı Port. Qualified or unqualified fraud does not fit in this household. I reject the accusations against me."
"MY DETENTION IS NOT JUST"
CHP İzmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu also denied the accusations in his statement at the police station. In his statement, Aslanoğlu, who stated that he served as the president of the cooperative for 1 year and was acquitted, said, "In the place where I served as the president of the cooperative, it is not a tender to give work to our subcontractor during the period we were subcontractors. Therefore, I cannot be accused of tampering with the tender. If I had established a fake cooperative, registered members there without the aim of building houses, or if I had fled, then this accusation could be mentioned. There is already a cooperative consisting of real members and real managers known by all of Turkey. Moreover, construction was carried out until it was sealed. I served as the president of the cooperative for only 1 year. I was acquitted by the new management after I left. Furthermore, construction continued after I left. There is no issue of fraud. The delay in construction is a matter of legal cases. Every citizen can file a lawsuit in matters where they believe they are creditors. There is no legal case filed against me. I am not avoiding prosecution. There is no issue that requires a criminal investigation and detention process in all these events. My detention is not just," he said.