Türkiye's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) is reportedly preparing to file a criminal complaint against New Party (YP) Chairperson Özgür Özel over allegations of document forgery and breach of trust involving parliamentary membership fees, according to reports of media outlets.
The allegations center on documents submitted to a bank during Özel's tenure as CHP parliamentary group leader, requesting the reimbursement of membership fees deducted from lawmakers' salaries.
According to reports citing CHP sources, signatures originally collected from lawmakers for Constitutional Court applications were allegedly used without their consent to authorize the financial transactions.
Özel had sent a letter to the bank before leaving the CHP to establish the New Party (YP), requesting that membership fees be transferred to lawmakers' individual accounts, the reports said.
The dispute reportedly involves a letter dated April 23, 2026, bearing 138 lawmakers' signatures, although the accompanying bank account list contained details for only 100 lawmakers.
CHP officials reportedly argue that party membership fees cannot legally be redistributed as personal income, describing the reimbursement request as an unauthorized transaction involving party funds.
Party sources further alleged that signatures collected for unrelated legal proceedings were improperly attached to the bank documents, potentially constituting document forgery and breach of trust.
The reported complaint would mark a further escalation in tensions between the CHP and Özel's YP following their political split.
Recently, the CHP has also alleged that vehicles, equipment, and other assets worth more than TL 250 million (approximately $5.1 million) were reported to have been removed or gone missing from its provincial and district offices during the formation of the YP.
