Labor minister warns main opposition municipalities to pay debts or face legal action

Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Isikhan warned municipalities, particularly those led by the main opposition, about outstanding Social Security Institution (SGK) debts.

Speaking in Izmir, Isikhan emphasized that legal action will be taken if these debts are not paid, stating, “SGK debts are on the rise, and we are ready to use legal measures to recover them.”

Following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s directive in July, authorities began targeting municipalities with significant debt.

The municipalities, reportedly, with the highest SGK debts were predominantly in cities governed by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), including major metropolitan areas such as Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.

Minister slams main opposition CHP

Addressing attendees at the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Izmir Provincial Advisory Council Meeting, Isikhan criticized the financial management of CHP-led municipalities. “They claim they inherited debt from the AK Party,” he remarked.

Adding, “But I must ask, did they inherit this debt, which has increased 885-fold, from the AK Party? Was Izmir transferred to CHP from the AK Party under these conditions?”

Isikhan highlighted that prior to the recent elections, he had already cautioned that the sustainability of municipal debts was in jeopardy.

‘We will not hesitate to take legal action’

He reminded municipalities, “I warned that they needed to settle their debts or we would resort to legal channels for collection. Since then, not only have they failed to make payments, but they have also allowed their debts to balloon further.”

Issuing his final warning, Isikhan stressed the urgency for municipalities to extricate themselves from their debt crisis. “Most CHP-led municipalities, including those in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, are trapped in this situation.”

We will not hesitate to use legal means to collect these debts swiftly,” he added.