Gülen-linked key man's company makes profit via govt-backed projects

İstanbul's ex-mayor Kadir Topbaş's family members still make profits through government-backed construction projects although the son-in-law is jailed for having a link to Fethullah Gülen's network
Thursday, 22 November 2018 22:25

The company of Hüseyin Ersan Topbaş, the son of Kadir Topbaş, the ex-mayor of İstanbul, and his partner Ömer Faruk Kavurmacı, Topbaş's son-in-law, who has been jailed for being a member of the Gülenist network, is revealed to have sold construction materials for the projects of İstanbul's new airport and the Presidential Palace, Sözcü daily reported.

Having been founded in 2012, the company, İzomaks, sold construction materials valuing $1,13 million for the construction of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's palace, of which construction was launched in 2012. The palace has been highly criticised for its high costs and luxurious expenses, while being described as the "illegal palace" by some anti-government circles.

Ömer Faruk Kavurmacı, one of the partners of İzomaks company, was arrested as part of the operations against Fethullah Gülen's business structure following the failed coup in July 2016 that had been masterminded by the US-based Islamic preacher Gülen's network, referred to as the Fethullahist Terror Organisation (FETÖ).

Hüseyin Ersan Topbaş, the son of former İstanbul mayor, the partner of Kavurmacı, founded a new company, Tardigrade, in 2017 since their İzomeks company's assets had faced cautionary judgement because of Kavurmacı's ongoing arrest.

However, this new company was entitled to provide the flooring materials of İstanbul's third airport construction. Considering the giant structure of the airport, it is estimated that the company has sold materials valuing $2,26 million for the airport project that has been criticised for work-related deaths, poor working conditions and mobbing imposed on the workers.

Having been detained in September 2016 after the Gülenists' failed coup attempt, Kavurmacı was released in May 2017 for some "medical reasons". Following the criticism of nepotism in public opinion on the grounds that the businessman was released just because he was the son-in-law of İstanbul's former mayor, he was arrested again in June 2017 and is still jailed within his ongoing lawsuit of FETÖ membership.

Kadir Topbaş, the former Mayor of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality, from the ruling AKP party, resigned from his post in September 2017, upon the request of President Erdoğan who sought for refreshing his party ahead of local and general elections.

Fethullah Gülen had been a close ally of Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party until recent years when the alliance was weakened and eventually culminated in a coup attempt. Gülen's CIA-linked network, organized in such crucial state institutions as military, police, judiciary and media, had helped Erdoğan's party to redesign Turkey in an Islamic and anti-Republican manner.

Considering that key figures like the family circle of İstanbul's ex-mayor are continuing to make profits through such big projects as the presidential palace and the new mega airport that are highly promoted by the government, Erdoğan's rule's assertion to fight Gülenist terrorism remains very hypocritical and groundless.