Criminal complaint from Butlancı CHP management against Cemil Tugay regarding the 'Basmane Pit'

The sale of the Aegean World Trade Center area in the center of Izmir, known to the public as "Basmane Pit" by the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) for an estimated price of 75 million dollars, caused controversy.

CHP Group Deputy Chairman Sevda Erdan Kılıç also criticized the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality administration and the AKP government regarding the process and announced that she filed a criminal complaint against Mayor Cemil Tugay.

“İZMİR'S RIGHTS ARE BEING GIVEN UP”

Stating that the approximately 21-decare area in İsmet Kaptan District of Konak district is one of the common values of Izmir, Kılıç claimed that the gains obtained in the legal process carried out by the municipality were jeopardized by the protocols.

Kılıç reminded that Izmir Metropolitan Municipality filed a lawsuit in the previous period, demanding retroactive termination of the contract, return of title deeds and recording of guarantees as income. He argued that three separate expert reports received in the file at the Izmir 21st Civil Court of First Instance revealed that the contractor companies were at fault and that the title deeds should be returned to the municipality without payment of compensation.

Kılıç said that in the 2023 and 2024 reports of the Court of Accounts, it was stated that legal processes should be followed in order to bring the entire property to the public, and claimed that, despite this, the Cemil Tugay administration agreed to 30 percent of the area with the protocols signed, and that giving up the rights over the remaining 70 percent was on the agenda.

PROTOCOL AND PUBLIC HARM DISCUSSION

Kılıç also drew attention to articles 5.1 and 5.2 of the intent protocol. Stating that the articles in question include commitments to withdraw title deed cancellation and registration cases, remove precautionary measures, give up pursuits regarding bank guarantees and cash receivables, Kılıç stated that these regulations should be clarified in terms of possible public damage.

Kılıç also said that with the decision of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Council dated January 16, 2026, the mayor was given broad authority for the final protocol and stated that there are limits to the authority regarding immovable properties and settlement transactions within the scope of Articles 18 and 38 of the Municipal Law.

Kılıç also argued that in Article 4.6 of the protocol, there is a commitment to change zoning plans according to projects that are not yet available, and argued that zoning planning authority cannot be made the subject of negotiations with private companies.

SDIF PUT THE AREA FOR SALE FOR 75 MILLION DOLLARS

According to Kılıç's statement, it was announced that the final protocol was signed on September 10, 2026. SDIF put the area known as Basmane Çukuru up for sale on October 26 with an estimated price of 75 million dollars.

Stating that these developments raise questions about Izmir's public rights, Kılıç called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to take the necessary action. Kılıç stated that he filed a criminal complaint against Cemil Tugay within the scope of Article 257 of the Turkish Penal Code, regarding abuse of power and other crimes that may be determined as a result of the investigation.