Istanbul and Ankara Municipalities Face Investigations Over Expenditures

The Istanbul and Ankara municipalities, both led by Turkey's opposition Republican People's Party, face legal probes into alleged illicit expenditure at public events. These investigations coincide with broader challenges to opposition-run districts in Turkey. Officials have denied the allegations, labeling the probes as attacks on their reputations.

The Istanbul chief prosecutor's office has initiated an inquiry into alleged illicit expenditures at public events organized by the Istanbul municipality, adding to the legal challenges faced by opposition-held areas in Turkey. On Wednesday, the office announced its investigation into potential "irregular spendings" to assess any financial harm incurred by the public, although specific details were not provided.

Similarly, the Ankara chief prosecutor's office has begun investigating two concerts arranged by the Ankara municipality for Republic Day on Oct. 29. These cities, Turkey's largest and both governed by the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), deny all allegations of misconduct.

During a career fair address, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is viewed as a prospective rival to President Tayyip Erdogan, stated that the investigations are tantamount to "reputation assassination." The Istanbul municipality declined further comment when reached by Reuters. Additionally, the CHP mayor of Istanbul's Esenyurt district was recently arrested for alleged ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, accusations he and his party have refuted.

(With inputs from agencies.)