Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM Party municipality faces foreclosure over 13-year-old debts

Duvar English

Artuklu District Municipality in eastern Mardin province controlled by the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party faced foreclosure due to debts from 2011.

Co-Mayors Mehmet Ali Amak and Münevver Ölker who won the mayorship in the 2024 local elections on July 18 stated that foreclosure officers and lawyers came to the municipality building to seize the assets.

A creditor initiated a foreclosure process against Artuklu Municipality, citing a court decision filed in 2021 and finalized in April 2024. This decision pertained to the debts of Yalım Town Municipality, which were unpaid in 2011 and subsequently transferred to Artuklu Municipality.

During the foreclosure process, a dispute occurred between the co-mayors and lawyers, resulting in the bailiffs and lawyers leaving the municipality.

Speaking first in the press statement made in the municipality building, Co-Mayor Ölker stated that they did not accept the foreclosure process and said, “Starting the foreclosure process directly without entering into a dialogue with us is not a situation that we will meet with tolerance.”

Co-Mayor Amak then took the floor and stated that after they the office, they realized that the municipality was left with approximately 170 million Turkish liras ($5.13M) in debt with zero wealth. 

Amak stated that during their four-month tenure, they have been preparing various projects and completing unfinished work from the previous term. He emphasized, "We do not support citizens being victimized in these matters. We have always said that we are committed to providing all possible means for creditors to collect their debts."

Stating that they were faced with a foreclosure decision taken about 10 days after they received their mandate, Amak asked, “What did they wait until today? Why have these procedures not been carried out until today?”

The government appointed a trustee in 2016 to Artuklu Municipality and it was controlled by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) after the 2019 local elections.

Amak noted that they are ready to make payments in a way that does not disadvantage the creditor. He added that they do not need their official seats and stated that those wanting to seize the seats could proceed with the foreclosure. 

Highlighting that only office furniture and vehicles can be seized from the municipality, Amak said, "If necessary, we will continue to provide our services from a tent outside the municipality. Despite any special obstacles aimed at preventing our service, we will not recognize these barriers and will continue serving the public."