Turkey’s interior ministry has filed a criminal complaint against the former mayor of the eastern city of Tunceli, accusing him of causing more than 86 million lira ($2 million) in losses to the taxpaying public through unauthorized hiring practices, Turkish Minute reported, citing DHA news agency.
Ministry inspectors launched a review of the Tunceli Municipality in December 2024, completing their report in June 2025. According to their findings Fatih Mehmet Maçoğlu, a prominent figure from the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), allegedly hired 145 workers without following legally required procedures during his 2019–2024 term in office, with the cost of their wages amounting to 84 percent of the municipality’s annual revenue.
Inspectors concluded that the practice created a significant financial burden on the municipality and referred the case to the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Maçoğlu is held personally liable for TL 86,620,000 ($2 million) in losses to the public. The former mayor submitted an objection to the municipality, but Deputy Mayor Şefik Aygöl rejected the appeal, according to DHA.
The former mayor responded to the allegations in remarks to pro-opposition Halk TV on Thursday, arguing that the findings cited by inspectors reflected structural problems affecting municipalities across Turkey rather than misconduct specific to his administration.
He said personnel expenses had risen nationwide due to high inflation, while municipal revenue had remained comparatively stagnant.
“Without taking this picture into account, criticism directed at municipalities can be seen as a political approach. … I believe investigations targeting opposition-run municipalities are politically motivated,” Maçoğlu said.
He added that during his time in office, Tunceli employed 300–350 staff members, whereas district municipalities of Turkey’s major metropolitan cities with similar populations employed 630–650 people, arguing that personnel levels were not unique to Tunceli. He said he would challenge the findings in court.
Maçoğlu, widely known as Turkey’s only “Communist mayor” during his tenure, served as Tunceli mayor from 2019 to 2024 before running unsuccessfully for mayor of İstanbul’s Kadıköy district in the 2024 local elections.
He gained national attention for his transparency-focused practices, including publicly displaying the municipality’s budget and promoting cooperative-based agricultural and social projects in the predominantly Alevi and left-leaning city.
