Çeşme Municipality faces debate over seaside land sale

Debate has erupted within the Çeşme Municipal Council regarding the proposed sale of an 18,243-square-meter seaside plot located in the Alaçatı district. Members of the Republican People's Party (CHP) have voiced strong opposition to the sale, arguing that the valuable land should be utilized for public benefit projects rather than being sold. Council member Süleyman Tonga suggested that the area could be developed into a five-star hotel through a build-operate-transfer model to keep the asset under municipal control.

In response to criticisms regarding municipal spending and land sales, Çeşme Mayor Lâl Denizli defended the administration's financial transparency. Denizli stated that all expenditures are subject to audit and that the municipality is returning public funds through services.

Denizli also highlighted a disparity in revenue, noting that while central institutions have conducted real estate sales totaling 15.7 billion TL within Çeşme over the last three years, the municipality has received significantly less in return from central resources, such as the Treasury and the Bank of Provinces.