Esenyurt Municipality trustee administration to re-tender retirees association local

The trustee administration of Esenyurt Municipality in Istanbul has announced it will not extend the lease for the Türkiye Emekliler Derneği (Retirees Association) branch office. The association's local, located in Nazım Hikmet Park, is currently under a lease agreement that expires on October 23, 2026. The municipality stated that the property will instead be re-leased through a public tender process.

Cafer Cengiz, the head of the Esenyurt branch of the Retirees Association, expressed concerns that the decision is a reaction to the association's public statements regarding the economic struggles of retirees. Cengiz claimed that the administration, led by trustee Can Aksoy—who was appointed following the removal of Mayor Ahmet Özer—has been unresponsive to requests for meetings and has ignored associations that highlight social and labor issues.

Cengiz further alleged that the tender process may not be equitable, suggesting that the administration favors certain groups over others. He emphasized that the local serves as a vital social hub for retirees who face significant financial difficulties.