Interior Minister Soylu doesn't address allegations, targets the opposition

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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The Parliamentary Commission on Budgetary and Planning hosted the 2022 budget talks of the Interior Ministry and its affiliated institutions, the Gendarmerie General Command, Directorate General of Security, Coast Guard Command, Directorate General of Migration Management and Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency yesterday (November 22).

In 2022, 117 billion 457 million 299 thousand Turkish Lira has been allocated to the Interior Ministry and its affiliated institutions from the central budget. In 2021, the budget of the Ministry and the related institutions was 89 billion 424 million lira. It has increased by 30 percent this year.

The budget to be allocated to the Interior Ministry Center, which was 10 billion 665 million lira in 2021, has been increased by 4 billion 69 million 200 thousand lira to 14 billion 734 million 260 thousand lira.

The budget of the Ministry and its five affiliated institutions, which was 29 billion 291 million 246 thousand lira in 2015, has increased by 300 percent to 117 billion 457 thousand 299 thousand lira in 7 years.

Soylu had an argument with Özkoç, left the meeting

Tension rose between Minister Soylu and the opposition MPs while he was presenting the 2022 budget of the Interior Ministry.

Soylu addressed main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Parliamentary Group Deputy Chair Engin Özkoç and said, "Don't laugh over there. Our sons are falling martyrs and you are just laughing."

The CHP and some other opposition MPs protested these remarks. Interior Minister Soylu left the meeting hall by accusing the CHP of "asking for votes from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)."

The commission meeting continued after a 10-minute break.

'Which MP receives 10 thousand dollars?'

During the meeting, CHP MPs had some banners in front of them which read, "Who is the politician who receives 10 thousand dollars?"

Indicted for leading a criminal organization, Sedat Peker previously targeted Interior Minister Soylu in his videos on social media. Soylu alleged that "there was an MP receiving a wage of 10 thousand from Sedat Peker." However, the Minister did not unveil the name of the MP.

'The biggest trouble of this country is you'

During the budget talks, Süleyman Soylu also targeted the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) through the families who have been protesting in front of the HDP offices, claiming that "their children were taken to the mountains by the HDP" to join the outlawed PKK.

HDP Diyarbakır MP Garo Paylan responded to Soylu's targeting remarks, saying, "You are lying, you are casting aspersions, you are provoking. You are the biggest trouble of this country. Would it be okay if we said, 'You are sending personnel from the AKP to ISIS'?"

'Will you resign?'

Referring to the recent documents and allegations which also involve Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, HDP Adana MP Tülay Hatimoğulları asked, "As required by the political ethics, the Minister should resign from office and accept being put on trial. The judiciary should step in. I would like to ask you, Mr. Minister: Will you resign from office?"

Book on Peker's allegations given as a gift

Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) İstanbul MP Sera Kadıgil gave the book "Duvar" (Wall) as a gift to Süleyman Soylu. The book is based on the report prepared by the TİP in the light of the statements and revelations of Sedat Peker, who is facing a warrant for leading a criminal organization.

Sera Kadıgil told Minister Soylu, "Mr. Minister, as you know, we are not given the floor to speak at length like other parties. So, we give you the 'Wall' as a gift where we have compiled all allegations in writing. It will perhaps pave the way for an investigation to be launched."

Şık asked Soylu a series of questions

TİP İstanbul MP Ahmet Şık also asked Interior Minister Soylu a series of questions, including the following:

• Is the politician whom Sedat Peker gives 10 thousand dollars [AKP's] Metin Külünk?
• There are allegations that kalashnikov weapons were distributed upon your instruction. The names of two party executives are also mentioned. Are these allegations true? If yes, to whom were the weapons distributed and upon whose instruction?
• Why did you approve the extension of the protection order given for a mob leader? Was there any investigation against Peker in the periods when a protection order was issued and extended?
• Is there an investigation into the nearly 5 tons of cocaine which was caught on its way from Colombia to Turkey on June 9, 2020? Why were the container numbers that you gave to Colombia false?
• On the night of July 15 [coup attempt in 2016], did you talk on the phone with mafia members Ayhan Boran Kaplan, İsmail Altınok and Levent Çiçek, against whom there are police records on drug dealing and organized criminal activities? The records of these phone calls with these people, who were subjected to the technical surveillance of the police, are now in the property and evidence unit of the Ankara Courthouse. Then, why is there no investigation?
• Is it true that you told Sezgin Baran Korkmaz that an investigation would be launched against him and told him to flee? Do you have any information or involvement in the faction for which Veyis Ateş wanted 10 thousand dollars as a bribe from Sezgin Baran Korkmaz?

(KÖ/SD)

* Sources: MA, AA, BBC Türkçe