Municipality gets YTL 6.2 bln budget
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Kasım 24, 2008 00:00
ISTANBUL - Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, or İBB’s, 2009 budget of YTL 6.2 billion has been approved nearly unanimously by the city council. Kadir Toptaş, mayor of İBB, gave a speech on the 2009 budget and the investments and then the group leaders and leader deputies of the political parties took the floor to express their opinions of the budget.
After criticism from some members, İBB’s YTL 6.2 billion budget went to vote and was approved with 299 votes against six.
Following the voting, Toptaş answered the criticism. Toptaş said the world was facing a global financial crisis and said it should be considered how Turkey and Istanbul might be affected from it.
Topbaş said the public does not approve of bigoted, unproductive and tense politics. "The residents of Istanbul trust this council and the work of this municipality. If people trust the governors of a city, there will not be chaos and hope may grow," he said, adding that they should make sure they leave behind acts they will be proud of after they serve their term.
No problems with the foundation
Topbaş answered a question by a reporter on if there was a problem with the municipality about the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation building a cultural center or opera house at Tepebaşı and said the municipality has no problems on the subject. Topbaş said on that matter they are behind everything they have said before. Topbaş said 80 percent of the area belongs to the municipality and the other 20 percent to Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT. TRT is willing to sell this share but İnan Kıraç believes the price is too high, according to Topbaş.
"We plan to make things easier and offer any kind of support," said Topbaş, adding that they offered TRT the temporary use of a sports center in Fatih. "As being an architect myself, I wish this cultural center to be built at Tepebaşı. We will hold one final meeting with Kıraç and then we will have our final decision," Topbaş saidand added that the foundation wants to purchase the enterprise for 49 years as a partner of the municipality but it is not possible because recent legal amendments allow only for 30.
"We may add a clause stating it may be extended for 30 more years," said Topbaş, ensuring that there will be a bid anyway. "We only desire a drama theater to be built and handed to the City Theaters (Şehir Tiyatroları)," Topbaş said.
Another reporter asked about the Sama Dubai Group purchasing the estate at Levent, which were being used as the garage of IETT, directorate general of transportation for Istanbul, 20 months ago for $1.16 billion but would had not paid due to legal conditions. "A number this size is a serious one," Topbaş said. "If we could have obtained it 20 months ago we would have left serious steps behind us in the name of transportation for Istanbul. Unfortunately, it did not happen."
Following the voting, Toptaş answered the criticism. Toptaş said the world was facing a global financial crisis and said it should be considered how Turkey and Istanbul might be affected from it.
Topbaş said the public does not approve of bigoted, unproductive and tense politics. "The residents of Istanbul trust this council and the work of this municipality. If people trust the governors of a city, there will not be chaos and hope may grow," he said, adding that they should make sure they leave behind acts they will be proud of after they serve their term.
No problems with the foundation
Topbaş answered a question by a reporter on if there was a problem with the municipality about the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation building a cultural center or opera house at Tepebaşı and said the municipality has no problems on the subject. Topbaş said on that matter they are behind everything they have said before. Topbaş said 80 percent of the area belongs to the municipality and the other 20 percent to Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT. TRT is willing to sell this share but İnan Kıraç believes the price is too high, according to Topbaş.
"We plan to make things easier and offer any kind of support," said Topbaş, adding that they offered TRT the temporary use of a sports center in Fatih. "As being an architect myself, I wish this cultural center to be built at Tepebaşı. We will hold one final meeting with Kıraç and then we will have our final decision," Topbaş saidand added that the foundation wants to purchase the enterprise for 49 years as a partner of the municipality but it is not possible because recent legal amendments allow only for 30.
"We may add a clause stating it may be extended for 30 more years," said Topbaş, ensuring that there will be a bid anyway. "We only desire a drama theater to be built and handed to the City Theaters (Şehir Tiyatroları)," Topbaş said.
Another reporter asked about the Sama Dubai Group purchasing the estate at Levent, which were being used as the garage of IETT, directorate general of transportation for Istanbul, 20 months ago for $1.16 billion but would had not paid due to legal conditions. "A number this size is a serious one," Topbaş said. "If we could have obtained it 20 months ago we would have left serious steps behind us in the name of transportation for Istanbul. Unfortunately, it did not happen."