Speaking on a television broadcast, Şahiner accused the government of “ignoring the law, being insatiable in profiteering, and consistently legitimising corruption by making excuses for it“. He noted that “last year, the 59 million tax amnesty granted to Emrullah Turanlı was not enough, and the same government is taking advantage of the parliamentary recess to prepare a new tax amnesty for him“.
Government Priorities Questioned
Şahiner criticised the government for prioritising corporate interests over those of the people, saying, “The government, which does not think about its people, is literally putting all its skills to use in order to steal more from its people and put it in T&T’s coffers“. He also claimed that the government would grant Turanlı hundreds of millions of liras for work he is already obliged to perform.
He highlighted the discrepancies in the Ercan Airport privatisation process. “The Tender Specifications for the Privatisation of Ercan Airport stipulate that all obligations to be fulfilled by the company that wins the tender must be in accordance with international aviation standards. Paying Emrullah Turanlı extra money for the work he is obliged to do is nothing more than opening a new source of income for Turanlı“.
Council of Ministers’ Secret Decision
On June 23, 2016, a secret Council of Ministers decision was issued during Kemal Dürüst’s tenure as Minister of Public Works and Transportation, which was not published in the Official Gazette. In this decision, Emrullah Turanlı promised to expand the Ercan Airport Project without requesting additional time or fees from the state for the extra work. This decision was kept hidden from the public at the time.
Judiciary and Arbitration Concerns
Şahiner alleged that the TRNC judiciary was undermined with the “Arbitration” clause added to the contract with Turanlı. “Additional Contract No: 5, issued in addition to the main contract for the Transfer of Operating Rights of Ercan Airport, paves the way for more tax amnesty for Emrullah Turanlı. Article 7 titled ‘Arbitration,’ added to the contract, orders the establishment of an Arbitration Board. This board, appointed by the General Director of the Turkish State Airports Authority, will decide on disputes between Emrullah Turanlı and the State, bypassing the TRNC courts”.
Secret Arbitration Decision
Şahiner claimed that despite the time limits specified in “Additional Agreement 5” being exceeded, the arbitration board had prepared a decision in favour of Emrullah Turanlı, which was kept secret. This decision, according to Şahiner, replaced the court’s authority and was hidden from the public.
Şahiner concluded by emphasising that there is no legal basis for paying Emrullah Turanlı hundreds of millions of Turkish Liras for additional work or for tax exemptions. He accused the government of betraying the people by prioritising corporate interests and called for an end to such practices.
Meanwhile, a separate article by Kibris Postasi states that the electricity debt of Ercan Airport, operated by T&T under the ownership of Emrullah Turanlı, has surged to 121 million TL, up from 92 million TL the previous month, indicating a sharp 31.52% increase.
According to information obtained by Kibris Postasi, if Emrullah Turanlı pays the first instalment of the electricity debt, the airport’s previous debts are expected to be restructured. This issue has stirred significant public outrage across the community.
