ABB Hits Back: No Irregularities in Concert Probe, Political Motives Exposed

The Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) has broken its silence over the recent detentions tied to a probe into concert expenditures, declaring that no evidence of misconduct or public loss has been found. The statement portrays the arrests not as a legal necessity but as an orchestrated attempt to create political pressure.

No Evidence of Public Loss

In its official written announcement, ABB underscored that all spending linked to the 11 November 2014 concert events had already been reviewed years earlier. According to the municipality, the Inspection Board had conducted a detailed audit, which concluded that neither irregularities nor public damage had occurred.

A second round of inspections later authorized investigations against six individuals, later expanded to nine. However, ABB emphasized that this did not mean wrongdoing was established — only that permission for questioning was granted.

The municipality also noted that staff still employed by ABB remain available to cooperate with authorities if formally called upon. Despite this, ABB criticized the decision to stage mass arrests, describing them as operations conducted with “a political atmosphere rather than a judicial necessity.”

Mansur Yavaş Responds

Following the arrests, Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş delivered his first public remarks. He claimed that the move had been triggered by political motives, stating that those pushing the operation were motivated less by justice and more by a desire to target the municipality under his leadership.

Concert Costs Under Scrutiny

ABB’s statement also addressed the financial specifics of the concert projects. Contrary to suggestions that performer fees were responsible for inflated costs, the municipality clarified that the bulk of expenses arose from stage construction, lighting, and sound systems.

A price offer worth 56 million TL was taken from the private sector, but ABB insisted this amount did not constitute any form of public loss. Officials further highlighted that past audits by both the Court of Accounts and Interior Ministry inspectors found no irregularities in the same projects.

Complaints from Previous Administrations

The controversy also reignited debate over the legacy of past municipal administrations. ABB reminded the public that during the AKP era, around 100 criminal complaints had been filed, yet only 11 resulted in indictments — and none produced legal penalties.

Special attention was drawn to cases involving former mayor Melih Gökçek. ABB claimed that files concerning alleged irregularities during his term have been left dormant for six years, raising suspicions of selective justice.

Another point of contention involves the teleferik (cable car) tender, reportedly awarded to a deputy chair of the AKP provincial branch. ABB alleges that this project alone created a $58 million public loss, yet no action has been taken.

Concerns About Biased Experts

The municipality’s statement also questioned the integrity of certain expert reports. According to ABB, the same individuals are repeatedly assigned as experts in different cases, creating “strong suspicions of political bias.”

By contrasting its own transparency with what it views as unexamined losses from earlier administrations, ABB argued that the current investigation is less about accountability and more about political maneuvering.

The Political Dimension

ABB underlined that the political backdrop became obvious when Melih Gökçek posted about the probe on social media before the arrests even began. The timing, the municipality argued, demonstrates the orchestration of a narrative designed to damage its reputation.

The statement concluded with a call for accountability to focus instead on the true public losses allegedly caused by former administrators, not on operations against projects already cleared by inspectors.

Next Steps

To ensure public awareness, ABB announced that it will hold a comprehensive press conference in the coming days. The goal, it said, is to present detailed documentation of its financial transparency and to challenge what it describes as politically motivated actions disguised as legal investigations.