Wednesday, 6 July 2022
Director of Sideral Denizcilik Shipping, Ulus Göker, issued a statement to Yeniduzen regarding allegations that his company failed to deliver fuel on time as contracted, Yeniduzen reported.
Allegations were made by the Chairman of Kib-Tek Hasan Akyiğit and by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel that Sideral was in breach of contract. The prime minister said that Sidereal was “the main cause of the power cuts“, claiming that the company had failed in its responsibilities and had damaged Kib-Tek’s reputation. Göker said that Kib-Tek owed him 540,000 dollars and that he would transport the fuel if he was paid.
He said that the government requested fuel from him on 13 June and 22 June, but that he was owed 540,000 dollars from his previous fuel delivery. “I said I would bring the fuel if they paid my money“, Göker said. He noted that the government once again asked him for fuel last Saturday and they shook hands on it.
“I met with a team gathered under the Presidency of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance. They once again demanded fuel from me, received offers from other companies, and shook hands with me. In fact, Kib-Tek Deputy General Manager called me on Sunday morning and thanked me”.
Explaining that his company is local, and that he had participated in the tenders in accordance with the conditions and won six tenders, the director of Sideral Shipping said that the 1,100 tons of fuel brought to the country by the Council of Ministers in violation of the Public Procurement Law was brought by a “waste carrying” vessel.
Göker emphasised that the vessel in question, which he claims does not have a transport licence and certificates, is also unclear “what kind of fuel he brought from Iskenderun“. Göker said, “If the Ports Department does not allow this, it means that the ship is prohibited from leaving its location“.