Politics · Turkey · 23 hrs ago
Audit finds heavy debt and deficits at İzmir’s Karşıyaka Municipality
A 2025 audit found Karşıyaka Municipality in İzmir was heavily in debt.
The report said the municipality owed more than 4.82 billion lira, including legal interest, to Turkey’s tax office and Social Security Institution.
It separately recorded the municipality’s total debt at about 2.47 billion lira at the end of 2025.
All 945 properties in its inventory had liens because of unpaid debts.
The municipality ran a budget deficit every year from 2019 to 2025, and the deficit grew from about 27.5 million lira to about 607.8 million lira.
The auditor said debt and deficits were far above sustainable levels, but the report did not state what action would follow.
A 2025 audit found that İzmir’s Karşıyaka Municipality was carrying heavy debt and had run a budget deficit every year from 2019 to 2025.
The municipality owed more than 4.822 billion Turkish lira to the tax office and the Social Security Institution, including legal interest.
All 945 properties in its inventory had been placed under lien because of unpaid debts.
Its budget deficit rose from 27.514 million lira in 2019 to 607.798 million lira in 2025.
A state auditor said the municipality’s total debt burden and budget deficit were far above sustainable levels.
- Who
- İzmir’s Karşıyaka Municipality and its affiliated companies.
- What
- A 2025 audit found heavy debt, unpaid obligations and yearly budget deficits from 2019 through 2025.
- When
- The audit covered 2025. Sabah published its report on 7 November 2026.
- Where
- Karşıyaka, İzmir, Turkey.
- Why
- The report cited unpaid debts. It did not state why the municipality’s debts and deficits had grown.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Karşıyaka Municipality recorded a budget deficit of 27.514 million Turkish lira.
The municipality recorded a budget deficit of 607.798 million lira, and the audit covered the year.
Sabah published its report on the audit findings.
- Debt to tax office and social security
- More than 4,822,312,000 Turkish lira, including legal interest
- Total debt at end of 2025
- 2,465,605,000 Turkish lira
- Properties under lien
- All 945 properties in the municipality’s inventory
- Budget deficits
- Recorded every year from 2019 through 2025
- Deficit in 2019
- 27,514,000 Turkish lira
- Deficit in 2025
- 607,798,000 Turkish lira
What people are saying
The municipality’s total debt burden and budget deficit have risen far above sustainable levels.