Maarif's hotel bill from Şahin

The Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality , run by Fatma Şahin , a member of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), known for being among the country's most indebted municipalities, has made another controversial expenditure. On February 25, 2025, the Metropolitan Municipality paid 780,000 TL to Team Global for the "Procurement of Accommodation Services for the Civil Society Organizations Graduate Education Summit." Former Şahinbey Municipal Council Member Uğur Kalkan, a member of the Republican People's Party (CHP), inquired about this expenditure with the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality through the Presidential Communication Center (CİMER). Some of the questions Kalkan requested answers from the Municipality were as follows:

• “Who is or are the non-governmental organizations in question?

• How many people attended this meeting?

• What does the meeting have to do with the municipality?

However, the municipality did not respond to the question. CHP member Uğur Kalkan then appealed to the Information and Evaluation Board. The municipality was then compelled to respond. The response stated, "The organization in question was carried out as part of a joint service project with the Turkish Maarif Foundation . The tender in question was also held within this scope... Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality personnel and members of the Turkish Maarif Foundation participated in the work."

ONE OF THE MOST DEBTORS

CHP member Uğur Kalkan reacted to the spending in a statement to BirGün, saying: “With this tender, we've seen once again how the AKP-led Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality supports pro-government foundations and associations. We've also seen once again their lack of transparency in uncovering this tender. Despite me asking my questions twice, they couldn't answer them. They tried to offer evasive answers. When I applied to the Information Acquisition and Evaluation Board and my application was accepted, they were forced to respond. Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality is among the most indebted municipalities in Türkiye. When they allocate so many resources to whatever they please, we understand that such debt is normal. It shouldn't go unnoticed how lovingly the municipality treats the foundation in question, while refusing to pay Ali Şahan, whose 68% is visually impaired, severance pay, notice pay, and annual leave. It should be our duty to explain to the public how much you've allocated to whom when you run for the first local and general elections.”