Politics
Report alleges CHP mayor-run bribery network in Türkiye’s Bursa
A corruption investigation into Bursa’s Nilüfer Municipality has been documented through financial crime reports and technical surveillance, alleging that its former mayor, Mustafa Bozbey, was the leader of a criminal network and detailing how public land was allegedly exploited for illicit gain, the report showed Wednesday.
Turkish authorities have recently detained dozens of suspects, including former Bursa Mayor Mustafa Bozbey and members of his family, as part of a sweeping bribery and corruption investigation targeting municipal structures in the northwestern province of Bursa, according to judicial sources and a financial crimes report.
A total of 59 suspects were taken into custody following coordinated police raids carried out in four provinces on March 31, under instructions from the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The operation was launched after complaints alleging bribery in the Nilüfer district prompted an investigation supported by technical surveillance and financial analysis.
According to Sabah newspaper, a report prepared by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) dated July 27, 2025, identified Bozbey as the alleged leader of a criminal network that prosecutors say systematically facilitated illicit gains through zoning changes and municipal approvals.
The report stated that several business figures allegedly transferred high-value real estate assets in exchange for favorable construction permits and increased building rights.
In one case, properties were initially registered under the name of a relative of a former district mayor before being reassigned to a younger family member in an apparent effort to conceal ownership, investigators said, citing land registry and banking records.
Authorities also examined the activities of a tourism company named Nil-As Turizm, the owner accused of expanding a residential project from 65 to 180 units through irregular approvals, generating an estimated TL 600 million (nearly $14 million) in illicit profit. Investigators allege that excess units were distributed through proxy individuals and some were used as bribes, while others were sold on the market to legitimize proceeds.
The report further alleges that public land designated for social facilities and green spaces was opened for development in exchange for bribes. In these cases, assets were reportedly transferred through intermediary real estate firms believed to be linked to the network.
Prosecutors say a number of companies functioned as “pool entities” to channel and launder illicit funds. Financial records pointed to unusually large and unexplained cash movements, which were included in the case file as evidence of money laundering.
Several individuals described as key intermediaries, including municipal aides and company representatives, were detained on suspicion of facilitating transactions, collecting payments and managing the distribution of assets within the alleged network.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities examining additional financial flows and corporate links tied to the suspects.
Turkish lawmakers on Tuesday began debating a draft law package that includes restricting access to social media platforms for children under 15, as authorities seek to strengthen protections against harmful online content.
If adopted, the legislation would require social media companies to implement age verification systems, introduce parental control tools and respond swiftly to content considered harmful.
The government says the proposal aims to reduce risks to children’s safety and privacy online, while some members of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) have criticized the measure.
“Protecting our children from all kinds of risks, threats and harmful content is our top priority,” Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said earlier this year.
Under the draft proposal, digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and others would have to block children under 15 from opening accounts and introduce parental controls that would manage children’s access.
Fevzi Zırhlıoğlu of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) said protecting children, women, the elderly and people with disabilities is a core responsibility of the social state.
He noted that around 63 million people in Türkiye use social media and argued that excessive use has weakened face-to-face communication within families.
“The regulations introduced by this proposal mark the beginning of a zero-tolerance period for our children in the digital world,” Zırhlıoğlu said, adding that social media providers would be legally required to prevent access for children under 15 and establish age verification systems, while safer, filtered environments would be created for older minors.
Zırhlıoğlu also warned that social media addiction is not merely a loss of time, citing studies suggesting it may be linked to deeper psychological issues.
Meanwhile, Ahmet Tuncay Özkan of the CHP said children should be protected from what he described as “gaming lobbies” and called for the inclusion of media literacy measures in the proposal.
“We are here as their representatives, yet we are unable to take a step,” Özkan said, criticizing the bill and urging lawmakers to adopt a more comprehensive approach to safeguarding children.
Restrictions in the world
On the other hand, measures on children’s access to social media have gained momentum globally in recent months.
In Australia, measures introduced in December targeted users under 16, with social media companies revoking access to millions of accounts identified as belonging to children.
Last month, Indonesia began enforcing a new regulation banning children under 16 from accessing digital platforms that could expose them to risks such as pornography, cyberbullying, online scams and addiction.
Other countries, including Spain, France and the United Kingdom, are also taking or considering similar steps, citing growing concerns over the impact of unregulated social media content on children.
Most recently, Greece also announced that access to social media for children under the age of 15 would be restricted from Jan. 1, 2027, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday, citing rising anxiety, sleep problems and the addictive design of online platforms.
In a video message addressed to young people, Mitsotakis said children spending long hours in front of screens do not allow their minds to rest and face growing pressure from constant comparison and online comments.
The Greek prime minister said he had spoken with many parents who reported that their children do not sleep well, become anxious easily and spend long hours on their phones.
An opinion poll by ALCO published in February showed about 80% of those surveyed approved of a ban. The Greek government has already outlawed mobile phones in schools and set up parental control platforms to limit teenagers’ screen time.
“Greece will be among the first countries to take such an initiative,” Mitsotakis said. “I am certain, however, that it will not be the last. Our goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum that will be held in the eponymous Turkish city, the ministry’s spokesperson announced on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a weekly press briefing that Lavrov will be in Türkiye on April 17-18 to attend the forum, upon the invitation of Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Lavrov has participated in the previous editions of the forum, but he has not been to Türkiye since February 2025, a significant gap for the top diplomat of a country that Türkiye has close ties with.
Zaharova said Lavrov, apart from addressing the forum, would hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts. “It is expected that the talks would focus on developments in the Middle East, the Southern Caucasus and the Black Sea, along with international issues and relations with third countries.”
Turkish-Russian relations have not lost steam despite the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Ankara maintains close ties with both sides. Yet, diplomacy between Ankara and Moscow was largely confined to phone diplomacy and bilateral talks on the margins of international events. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last week, shortly before a surprise visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Türkiye.
At the forum, Türkiye aims to highlight its vision for diplomacy and peace as Ankara has raised its profile as a key mediator in conflicts in recent years.
With Israel’s aggressive expansionism threatening to further destabilize the region, from the Gulf to Syria and Iran, Türkiye promotes itself as an oasis of stability. The two-day forum will be a platform for Ankara to showcase this vision, discussing sharpening the foresight for future challenges and efficient ways to address those issues.
Erdoğan and Fidan are scheduled to make keynote speeches at the forum, which will host leaders’ panels and other sessions entitled ADFPanels, ADFRounds and ADFTalks.
The event is expected to be attended by decision-makers, diplomats, academics, businesspeople, and representatives of media and civic society for discussions on managing uncertainties, emergency issues and future challenges through interactive sessions and bilateral meetings.
The forum last year hosted participants from 155 countries, including 21 heads of state and government and 61 ministers.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz sees a new future for Türkiye in the changing world. Speaking to broadcaster TRT Haber late Tuesday, Yılmaz said Türkiye would have a more efficient role in the security architecture.
“Türkiye is a country that bolstered deterrence and at the same time, strongly demonstrated its principled stance favoring law and justice, peace diplomacy,” he underlined.
The vice president said Türkiye’s strategic importance was “understood better at a time of debate on Europe’s security architecture.”
NATO, the central security alliance for Europe, has been thrust repeatedly into crisis since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to power last year, most acutely by his threat to seize the vast Arctic island of Greenland from fellow member Denmark. That followed him pulling the rug from under Ukraine in its war against Russia, threats not to protect allies if they don’t spend more on defense, and warnings that Washington could pull troops from Europe.
Yılmaz stated that it was imperative to be a “safe harbor” at a time of instability across the world.
He said that the war in the region and recent developments have demonstrated more clearly how accurate and forward-looking the terror-free Türkiye initiative is. “At a time when certain imperialist calculations and traps are being set over our region, strengthening our internal front, reinforcing our national unity and solidarity, and elevating our sense of brotherhood are truly invaluable,” he said. The initiative, brainchild of government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, aims to end the campaign of terrorism by the PKK that cost Türkiye thousands of lives and billions of liras since the 1980s. The terrorist group, spread across Syria and Iraq, has been the major security threat for years before it accepted to disarm itself in 2025. Yılmaz explained that the process will continue depending on developments on the ground, with legal regulations coming onto the agenda. “We hope that this will be realized as soon as possible. As you know, Türkiye has spent more than 40 years and exhausted many of its resources on this issue. Our greatest loss has been our people,” he said.
Emphasizing the importance of resolute and experienced leadership, especially during times of chaos, turmoil, conflict, and tension, Yılmaz said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was “a source of stability for the region and the world. “We see this not only in the Middle East but also in the context of Ukraine-Russia. Recently, our President had a very comprehensive phone call with Mr. Putin. We hosted Mr. Zelensky in Türkiye. Together with our Foreign Minister, they went to Syria. These are important diplomatic initiatives and positions that attract the attention of the entire world,” he said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised Pakistan’s peace initiative to end the Gulf conflict and commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his leadership in pursuing efforts to halt hostilities, according to a statement from Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office.
During a phone call, Erdoğan conveyed his congratulations to Sharif over what he described as a historic initiative aimed at ending the conflict in the region. He praised the Pakistani leader’s “bold and sagacious” leadership in advancing diplomatic efforts to stop a war that has caused widespread human suffering and extensive damage to infrastructure.
Erdoğan also reaffirmed Türkiye’s full support for Pakistan’s efforts to restore peace and stability in the region.
Sharif expressed gratitude for Erdoğan’s support and endorsement, reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to promoting peace and stability both regionally and globally.
The two leaders held what officials described as a warm and cordial conversation, underscoring close ties between Türkiye and Pakistan.
Two years after an unprecedented success in local elections, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is challenged by an internal split. Media reports say infighting between those loyal to the current administration and those acting with former Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu may split the party. A report by the Sabah newspaper indicates that incumbent Chair Özgür Özel and his close associate, former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, may found a new party.
Imamoğlu was arrested last year on charges of corruption, shortly before he was declared the future presidential candidate of Türkiye’s oldest party. Özel long counted on him as a contender against incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the 2028 vote, but his imprisonment and annulment of his diploma (a requirement to contest in elections) hindered those plans. Moreover, serious allegations of corruption involving Imamoğlu as well as other CHP mayors gave rise to the dissent in the party, urging the Özel administration to “come clean.”
Another challenge for the CHP is a trial on vote-buying allegations regarding the intra-party election in 2023 that brought Özel to power. A recent hearing on the trial has been postponed to May 6. In the trial, Özel and his associates are accused of buying votes of delegates to oust Kılıçdaroğlu. The court may hand down a verdict of “absolute nullification” of the Özel administrationö and if it happens, a trustee will be appointed to run the party, dimming the hopes of winning any future election.
The report by Sabah says Özel’s opponents within the party mobilized amid rumors of “nullification” and were holding frequent meetings with Kılıçdaroğlu, in a bid to convince him to return to his former post, this time as a trustee. In this scenario, Özel and Imamoğlu will join a new party that will be founded by their supporters, the report said. A dissident of Özel speaking anonymously to the newspaper said the number of CHP lawmakers to join the new party would be “limited,” citing that most incumbent lawmakers owed their seats to Kılıçdaroğlu and most felt respect and gratitude to the former chair.
They said up to 40 names may switch to the new party, and Kılıçdaroğlu would still have at least 100 lawmakers loyal to him in this scenario. The CHP currently has 138 seats in Parliament. Another senior figure in the party told Sabah that Kılıçdaroğlu still had clout in the party despite “attempts by armies of social media trolls to portray otherwise.”
“The CHP needs to purge itself (of corruption),” the source said.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged restraint and diplomacy regarding Iran, warning against actions that could lead to widespread regional destruction, during talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Erdoğan said any effort aimed at the total destruction of Iran would be unacceptable, while also criticizing Tehran’s stance toward neighboring countries, stressing that all parties must act responsibly and prioritize diplomatic solutions.
He also warned that Israel’s continued disregard for international law in Gaza and elsewhere risks prolonging instability across the region if not addressed.
The Turkish president further emphasized the need to revive negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war, calling on the international community to take a more serious and peace-focused approach.
Erdoğan also noted that cooperation between Türkiye and Spain, particularly in defense, continues to be welcomed by both nations and should be further strengthened.
Sanchez frequently rejected what he called the unilateral military action by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, which he said represented an escalation and contributed to a more uncertain and hostile international order.
Opposition to the U.S.-Israel-Iran war united Spaniards and Turks. Türkiye, like Spain, has refused to take sides in the ongoing war and equally criticized both parties while urging for diplomatic means to resolve their differences.
The European country has already won the admiration of the Turkish public for demonstrating the most passionate opposition to Israel’s massacres in Gaza.
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