Keçiören Municipality faces scrutiny over surge in event spending

Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan is facing scrutiny following a significant increase in municipal spending on cultural events and festivals. After resigning from the CHP in February 2026 and joining the AK Party in June 2026, the municipality's financial data for the first half of 2026 has become a subject of political debate.

According to municipal financial records, spending on concerts, festivals, and celebrations reached 332.7 million lira between January and June 2026. This represents a massive increase compared to the approximately 31 million lira spent on the same items during the first six months of 2025, an increase of roughly 914 percent.

Total municipal budget expenditures also rose significantly, climbing from approximately 1.956 billion lira in the first half of 2025 to 4.363 billion lira in the same period of 2026. While event spending surged, records indicate that no funds were allocated to programs such as 'Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness' or 'Women's Empowerment' during this period.