The scandal in CHP’s Bornova Municipality, where the girlfriend of Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım, who was arrested within the scope of the bribery and corruption investigation, was an ATM operator, also spread to CHP’s Buca Municipality. While Mayor Görkem Duman’s luxury holiday on Phuket Island with his girlfriend Sevcan Orhan, during the period when workers could not be paid, is still fresh in our memories, the Social Security Institution Izmir Provincial Directorate has scrutinized the personnel lists of the companies affiliated with the municipality.

Investigators evaluated a report and investigated the claim that approximately 40 people received salaries and insurance entries before coming to work. Teams affiliated with SGK Izmir Provincial Directorate examined Buca-Mar, Üzüm Kent İmar ve İnşaat Sanayi Teknik Hizmetleri A.Ş. and Kızılçullu İmar ve İnşaat Sanayi Teknik Hizmetleri Companies, which are affiliated with Buca Municipality. Health expenses and costs to other institutions of people who received false insurance notifications were also included in the scope of the investigation.

At the municipal council meeting held on January 6, 2026, AK Party Buca Municipal Council member Veli Balyemez claimed that many people, including CHP Women’s Branch Provincial Chairman Zahide Kurun and CHP District Chairman driver Erdi Kutlu, were ATM workers, and said to CHP Buca Mayor Görkem Duman; He called for “If these people receive salaries before coming to work, their employment contracts should be terminated immediately.”

HE NEVER CAME TO WORK AND WAS GIVEN A WEEKEND SHIFT
Speaking to SABAH, Buca Municipal Council AK Party Group Deputy Chairman Veli Balyemez stated that there are more than 40 ATM workers in Buca Municipality. Balyemez said, “In particular, CHP Provincial Women’s Branch President Zahide Kurun did not come to work, and even in the study carried out by our audit commission members, it was revealed that this person was assigned to work even on weekends.” Pointing out that Gülşen Şişbacak, who is in the provincial administration, also works as an ATM personnel and that this person is assigned to work overtime on weekends, Balyemez said: “A person named Sevgi Kazankaya is an ATM personnel who works overtime without ever going to work. Even the driver of the former district president Çağdaş Kaya was registered with the Buca Municipality and worked constantly.”

In the event, which was held simultaneously in 81 provinces across Turkey under the leadership of IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, prayers were made for the freedom of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the end of the events in Gaza and support for the Freedom Flotilla. Hundreds of people came together at the historical Kapu Mosque in Konya for the morning prayer in support of Palestine. After the morning prayer, prayers were said for Palestine and Gaza. Hundreds of citizens prayed for the freedom of Palestine. Citizens who performed the morning prayer in the historical Grand Mosque in Adana prayed for Gaza. In Trabzon, citizens came together at the Hagia Sophia Mosque. AK Party Provincial Chairman Sezgin Mumcu said, “We provide full support to the Sumud Fleet.” While praying for those who lost their lives in Gaza, wishes were made for peace and tranquility in Palestine. Citizens gathered at Nokta Mosque in Kırıkkale and prayed for Gaza. Citizens in all 39 districts of Istanbul met for morning prayer.

Tolga YANIK – Murat KARAMAN – Özgür ÖZDEMİR – Mehtap AYDOĞAN – Hakan GÖKKAYA – Mustafa BAKIRHAN / SABAH

In the statement made on DMM’s NSosyal account, the following statements were made:

“The statements shared in some social media channels and attributed to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, ‘If there is an attack on Iran or Lebanon, we will consider it as an attack on Türkiye’ are completely unfounded. Under the leadership of our President, the Republic of Turkey, as always, has been the voice of common sense in the recent tensions and conflicts in our region, and has demonstrated an approach that is followed with admiration by the whole world with its constructive attitude advocating peace, prosperity and security.”

It was stated that the purpose of these false allegations is to overshadow Türkiye’s leading role in building regional peace, to draw Türkiye into conflict and crisis environments, and to create a wrong perception in the international public opinion and to engage in political manipulation through disinformation.

“It is of great importance not to pay attention to such manipulative posts, black propaganda activities and psychological warfare tactics spread from a specific source in a deliberate and organized manner, and to take into account only the statements made through official channels. Our fight against all kinds of perception operations carried out with unrealistic claims will continue with determination.”

Making evaluations about alternative dispute resolution methods, Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek stated that the mediation system allows disputes to be resolved through compromise without going to judicial processes. Gürlek emphasized that these practices produce both fast and effective results.

“A AGREEMENT WAS ACHIEVED IN 54 PERCENT OF DISPUTES IN 2025

Minister Gürlek stated that an agreement was reached in 54 percent of the disputes in 2025 through the mediation method, thus significantly reducing the intensity in the judicial system.

NOTABLE DECLINE IN THE WORKLOAD OF COURTS

Gürlek also touched upon the impact of mediation practices on the courts and explained that the workload in different judicial units has decreased significantly. Accordingly; There was a decrease of 25.4 percent in civil courts, 77.5 percent in labor courts, 46.1 percent in consumer courts and 32.9 percent in commercial courts of first instance.

“FASTER AND EFFECTIVE JUSTICE GOAL”

Stating that they aim to increase citizens’ satisfaction with justice services, Minister Gürlek stated that they will continue to expand the scope of alternative solution methods with determination.

Another new sales news came from CHP’s Dikili Municipality, which has sold many real estate owned by the municipality so far. With the instructions of Mayor Adil Kırgöz, 18 more properties located in different parts of the district were put up for sale. One detail in the tender attracted attention. While 17 of the 18 immovable properties offered for sale will be realized by open tender method, the announcement that the tender of a field property will be made by sealed envelope method caused question marks to arise in people’s minds. According to the tender announcement published by Dikili Municipality; Land, masonry buildings and field properties will be offered for sale through tenders to be held on April 30, 2026. While 17 immovable properties located in İsmetpaşa, İslamlar, Çandarlı and Kızılçukur neighborhoods will be put up for sale by auction, the sealed envelope method will be applied for the field in Kızılçukur Neighborhood, which is the highest priced real estate.

120 MILLION WILL ENTER THE CASHBOARD
If the sales are realized, 120 million TL will enter the municipality’s coffers. The estimated prices of 6 plots of land ranging from 405 to 438 square meters in İsmetpaşa District were determined between 4 million 950 thousand TL and 5 million 250 thousand TL. Prices for the 7 parcels offered for sale in İslamlar District range from 3 million 500 thousand TL to 5 million 300 thousand TL. Two plots of land measuring 274 to 338 square meters located in Çandarlı District will be put out to tender with prices ranging from 4 million 500 thousand TL to 8 million TL. The estimated price for the 46 square meter masonry building in the same neighborhood was 5 million 750 thousand TL. The 53.7-decare field located in Kızılçukur District was put up for sale with an estimated price of 40 million 500 thousand TL.

The group art exhibition “In the Light of the Crescent”, “Give voice to the world with art for Gaza mothers and their children”, organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and in cooperation with the Turkish Red Crescent Women Istanbul, met with art lovers at the Atatürk Cultural Center. The exhibition met with art lovers with the motto “Speak to the world with your art for the mothers and children of Gaza”. The exhibition, which included the works of 300 artists from different branches of art and all ages, also included a banner with the names of 20 thousand women murdered in Palestine. The exhibition at the Atatürk Cultural Center was opened by the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Prof. Dr. It was opened with a ceremony by Numan Kurtulmuş. Speaking at the ceremony, Kurtulmuş said, “The Palestinian cause is one of the most important national issues of our nation. Palestine is our national cause not only because of the holy place Masjid al-Aqsa, which is our first qibla, but also because there are footprints of our ancestors in every inch of it. Our nation will never turn its back on the Palestinian cause, never leave it alone. Defending Palestine is like defending Istanbul. One day, a free Palestine will definitely be established. We will work for this cause.”

REVENUES TO GAZA
The income from the exhibition, which will continue for 1 week, will be donated to Gaza. The exhibition also included 3 works made by Hande Çelik, mother of Istanbul Deputy Sena Nur Çelik Kanat.