19.10.2026 17:40
The 1,849-page indictment concerning the tenders of ANSET, a subsidiary of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, was accepted by the Antalya 4th Heavy Penal Court. In the trial of 55 defendants, 15 of whom are detained, prison sentences of 25-69 years are sought for Muhittin Böcek, who was suspended from duty, and 9-21 years for former Secretary-General Cansel Tuncer. While Böcek is accused of taking bribes four times, it was stated that approximately 360 million lira was spent on festivals and concerts through ANSET over 5 years.
The indictment prepared against 55 defendants, 15 of whom are detained, regarding the tenders of ANSET, a subsidiary of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, has been accepted. While the total of the basic penalties in the referral articles, excluding enhancements, corresponds to imprisonment of 25-69 years for Muhittin Böcek and 9-21 years for Cansel Tuncer, an enhancement for continuous offense was also requested for both defendants. The file stated that approximately 360 million lira was spent over a five-year period through ANSET on festivals, concerts, and similar events, and that the updated equivalent of this amount according to end-2025 inflation is 778.4 million lira.
The 1,849-page indictment prepared by the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office was accepted by the Antalya 4th Heavy Penal Court. The indictment concerning 55 defendants, including Muhittin Böcek, who is detained and was removed from his post as Mayor of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality by a decision of the Ministry of the Interior, and former Secretary-General of the Metropolitan Municipality Cansel Tuncer, included 15 different criminal classifications.
FOUR BRIBERY CHARGES AGAINST BÖCEK
In the indictment, it was requested that Muhittin Böcek be punished four times for "accepting bribes" and for the crimes of "rigging a tender," "rigging the performance of an obligation," and "laundering assets derived from crime." For Cansel Tuncer, punishment was requested for the crimes of rigging a tender, rigging the performance of an obligation, and laundering.
The total of the basic penalties provided for in the referral articles, excluding enhancements, was requested as imprisonment from 25 to 69 years for Böcek and from 9 to 21 years for Tuncer. The prosecution requested that the penalties be increased by applying the provisions on continuous offense for both defendants and that a judicial fine also be imposed for the money-laundering charge.
The indictment alleged that the tenders were awarded to certain companies by agreement and that Böcek received bribes from these tenders. Claiming that the assets allegedly obtained from bribery were transferred to M. O. K. in order to conceal their source, it requested the confiscation of the assets stated to have been obtained from crime. As the basis for the accusations, it cited expert and Ministry of the Interior inspector reports, MASAK data, bank money transfers, telephone contact records, tender files, land registry records, witness statements, and L. Ş.'s statements within the scope of effective remorse.
360 MILLION LIRA FOR FESTIVALS AND CONCERTS
In the calculation included in the file, it was stated that a total of 359 million 990 thousand 152 lira 50 kuruş was spent over the five-year period solely through ANSET for festivals, concerts, and similar social and cultural activities. The updated equivalent of this amount according to the end-2025 inflation rate was shown as 778 million 394 thousand 246 lira 30 kuruş.
EXPERT: 113 MILLION LIRA LOSS
In the final summary table of the expert report in the section of the indictment examining festival and organization tenders, a principal loss of 45 million 386 thousand lira was calculated. The total loss in this report, including commercial interest, was shown as 113 million 426 thousand 440 lira 41 kuruş. The report examined five subcontracts signed with Time Organizasyon within the scope of organization work awarded to ANSET in 2023 and 2024. The total value of the contracts was recorded as 66 million 395 thousand 455 lira excluding VAT. The panel assessed that sufficient market research was not conducted and competitive conditions were not ensured. In separate calculations regarding the main contracts, a financial loss of approximately 45.8 million lira including commercial interest for 2023 organizations and approximately 52.9 million lira for 2024 organizations was shown.
The 114 million 200 thousand lira service procurement for the 62nd Golden Orange Film Festival was also examined. It was stated that, within the scope of the festival, stage arts and music service contracts worth 4 million 600 thousand lira and 2 million 700 thousand lira excluding VAT were concluded with Time Organizasyon. The expert panel reported its opinion that competitive conditions were not ensured in these contracts.
The report also conveyed that in the 2023 Yörük Turkmen Festival tender, a contract was signed even though the work experience certificate was not found compliant with the specification. In the 2025 Foodfest tender, it was stated that there were no detailed documents concerning transportation, accommodation, vehicle rental, and delivery of printed materials.
The file recorded that in some service procurements made by ANSET from subcontractors, reliance was placed on the exemption provision in subparagraph (g) of Article 3 of the Public Procurement Law. This provision regulates that certain goods and service procurements meeting the conditions in the law are exempt from the general tender provisions.
LAND REGISTRY RECORDS IN THE NAMES OF TUNCER'S RELATIVES
In the asset examination, it was included that there were 27 active and 60 passive land registry records in the name of Tuncer's mother, N. Ç., concerning real estate acquired in 2020 and later. For the same period, after duplicate records were removed, 23 active and 14 passive records were identified in the name of her spouse, V. T.; and 15 active and 3 passive land registry records were determined in the name of her mother-in-law, N. T.
TUNCER: I HAVE NO SIGNATURE IN TENDER PROCESSES
In her prosecutors' statement dated May 6, 2026, Cansel Tuncer argued that tender procedures were the responsibility of spending authorities and tender commissions. Tuncer said, "There is no involvement or signature of mine in these tender processes in any way. ANSET does not receive festival tenders directly from the municipality. It receives them through open tender under Article 19. ANSET has carried out all its transactions in accordance with legal regulations, observing the public interest. It has in no way made purchases above market prices. Savings were made and the public interest was observed. Although there was no legal obligation, market research was meticulously conducted by obtaining 3 bids. No work item that was not performed was paid for. No transaction contrary to the Public Procurement Law was carried out."
Regarding company selection, she used the following statements: "After price research is conducted for companies, the determination of the companies to work with belongs to the mayor. I do not accept this determination of the expert in any way. I also absolutely do not accept the creation of a perception as if I had obtained material benefit in this way."
Tuncer also denied the accusations regarding her assets and continued as follows: "There are 18 real estate records inherited by my spouse. These assets of ours stem from my spouse's and my inheritance and professional earnings. There is no asset value of mine that I cannot explain. Not even one of the real estates of which I or my spouse is the buyer or seller is owned by a person who has had a business relationship with the municipality since the day I started working at the municipality. Therefore, there is no asset exchange on this matter for which I cannot account."
BÖCEK: I DO NOT KNOW WHO WON THE TENDERS
Muhittin Böcek's statement reflected in the indictment included his answers regarding to whom the tenders were awarded and the allegation of public loss. Böcek said, "Just as I have no instruction contrary to procedure and law related to any tender, it is out of the question that I have ever caused harm to municipal resources, and I have no intent to cause harm."There is no negligence on my part either," he said.
Böcek, who said he did not accept the accusation that the public loss of 113 million 426 thousand 440 lira 41 kuruş specified in the relevant report was caused by his own negligence or intent, stated: "I do not know who won all the tenders held. It is not possible for me to know, either. Both the Court of Accounts and the inspectors have audited all the tenders we held. I do not accept the accusation that the public loss of 113 million 426 thousand 440 Turkish lira, stated to be a public loss, arose from my negligence or intent. As the superior decision-making authority, I acted in line with the framework provided by the laws."
Böcek, arguing that the tenders were carried out in line with the strategic plan and budget, said: "Which tender each department directorate will hold is included in our strategic plan. And these pass through our assembly. The tenders are carried out in line with this budget."
Rejecting the claim that he instructed that work be given to specific individuals or companies, Böcek said: "I have never given a name to either a subsidiary company or a department director. We held all our tenders in accordance with the 3G rule. Our tenders are audited by the Court of Accounts and the Ministry of Interior."
Böcek, who did not accept the expert assessment that work was given directly to ANSET, stated: "These tenders were procured through open tender via the EKAP system. If necessary, we can submit our written statements and evidence to this effect."
Böcek, who also objected to the responsibility assessments in the report, said: "I acted within the framework of the laws as required by the duty I performed. I do not accept any of the 29 matters in the conclusion section of the expert report that are stated to be my responsibility."
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