Deputy Council Chair Tansel Ertürk: “The Budget Is Sustainable, and the Services Are Visible”

The 2025 fiscal year final account of Bornova Municipality was approved by majority vote at the Municipal Council meeting. Deputy Council Chair Tansel Ertürk argued that the approximately 4.3 billion TL budget is sustainable and stated that borrowing and real estate sales are natural elements of municipal administration. Responding to opposition criticism regarding governance, Ertürk emphasized that Bornova is a rapidly growing district and that both infrastructure works and social municipal services continue uninterrupted.

During the second session of the May Ordinary Council Meeting of Bornova Municipality, the municipality’s 2025 fiscal year final account was approved by majority vote. Chairing the meeting, Deputy Council Chair Tansel Ertürk described the budget realization rates as “successful and sustainable” while also responding to opposition criticisms.

The meeting included extensive discussions on the municipality’s income-expense balance, investment expenditures, borrowing policies, and economic conditions. The municipality’s 2025 expenditure budget was approximately 4.36 billion TL, while net revenue collection amounted to around 4.04 billion TL.

“A Realization Rate Above 80 Percent Is a Major Success”

Planning and Budget Commission Chair Ahmet Tokem stated that approximately 80 percent of the 2025 budget had been realized, emphasizing that this result was significant under current economic conditions.

Tokem noted that both municipal revenues and expenditures had increased compared to previous years, while personnel expenses had decreased proportionally. He also stated that there had been no delays or issues regarding Social Security Institution payments, pension obligations, or staff salaries. According to Tokem, the largest share of revenues came from tax income and allocations from the Bank of Provinces. He added that investments included vehicle purchases, construction equipment, expropriations, and various capital expenditures.

“Real Estate Sales and Borrowing Are Realities of Municipal Governance”

Responding to opposition criticism regarding property sales and borrowing, Deputy Council Chair Tansel Ertürk stated that it is natural for municipalities to create financing sources in order to provide services.

“A significant portion of municipal financing revenues in Türkiye comes from real estate sales. Municipalities can sell properties they cannot efficiently use and convert those resources into public services,” said Ertürk, emphasizing that what truly matters is how the resulting resources are returned to citizens.

Referring to examples from the central government, Ertürk recalled that millions of square meters of public land had been sold in past years, adding:

“For this reason, criticizing municipalities solely for selling real estate is not a fair approach.”

“Bornova Is Not a Company; It Borrows for Citizens”

Addressing criticism regarding borrowing, Ertürk stressed that Bornova Municipality should not be evaluated as a commercial company.

“Bornova Municipality is not a company. It is a public institution working to meet the needs of citizens. Any municipality that prioritizes its citizens will borrow when necessary,” he said, adding that the important issue is ensuring that debt remains sustainable.

Ertürk also noted that Bornova is a rapidly growing and dynamic district whose population exceeds one million during the day, requiring continuous investments and services to meet increasing demands.

“Interest Rate Policies Also Put Pressure on Municipalities”

Commenting on economic conditions, Ertürk stated that the high-interest environment has created serious pressure on municipalities. Referring to criticism regarding loan usage, he said:

“Interest rate policies have also created difficulties for us. Despite this, we still consider our budget sustainable.”

Defending the municipality’s social municipal services, Ertürk stressed that asphalt works, parks, intersection arrangements, city restaurants, city markets, and social aid programs should not be overlooked.

“Very significant work is being done that directly touches the lives of the people of Bornova,” said Ertürk, noting that the Mayor works with great intensity and thanking all municipal employees for their efforts.

CHP Group: “Economic Conditions Affect Municipalities”

CHP Group Deputy Chair Yağmur Yurdakul Özkan stated in her speech that high interest rates and the national budget deficit directly affect local governments.

Özkan noted that economic conditions have delayed projects in many municipalities and said that municipalities’ revenue-generation methods should be evaluated within this context.

General Public Services Received the Largest Budget Share

According to the 2025 final account, the municipality’s largest expenditure category was general public services. Environmental protection, housing and community welfare, economic affairs, and social assistance services also occupied significant portions of the budget.

The largest share of expenditures was allocated to the procurement of goods and services, while personnel expenses, interest expenses, and investment expenditures were also among the notable budget items. On the revenue side, tax revenues, other revenues including allocations from the Bank of Provinces, and capital revenues stood out.