A feud between one of Turkey’s leading business associations (TÜSİAD) and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) continues to escalate following comments made by association leaders at a conference last Thursday (February 13).
At the conference, TÜSİAD board chairman Ömer Aras criticized recent events in Turkey, such as the hotel fire at a ski resort in Bolu province that claimed 78 lives, as well as the recent deposition and replacement of elected officials in numerous provinces.
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In his comments, Aras blamed the Bolu fire on ‘lack of inspections‘, likening the event to Turkey’s devastating earthquakes in February 2023, the high death toll of which was widely blamed on lax building codes.
Criticising the recent crackdown on opposition officials, Aras said: “Elected mayors are being removed from office and in their place a government trustee is appointed.”
Shortly after his comments were made, an investigation was opened into Aras by the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor on charges of “attempting to influence judicial proceedings” and “openly spreading false information”.
Erdoğan responds to criticism from TÜSİAD leaders
At a party meeting in the Turkish Parliament Wednesday (February 19), President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hit back at TÜSİAD, saying “You are going to learn your place in the New Turkey.”
“They used to be responsible for designing Old Turkey’s politics. In an era when Turkey is expanding its political and social power regionally, implementing programs to combat cost of living, and making our country free of terrorists, they are behaving with an outdated mentality.”
Second investigation opened
Shortly after Erdoğan’s comments on Wednesday, a second investigation was opened into TÜSİAD, targeting both Aras as well as TÜSİAD president Orhan Turan. Both men were accused of “attempting to influence judicial proceedings” and “openly spreading false information,” the same charges leveled against Aras just last week.
Aras and Turhan were brought in for questioning at an Istanbul courthouse Wednesday before being released on bail with a ban on international travel.
Today (February 20), Turan and Aras refused to back down on their criticisms, with Aras saying “I attempted to voice the vulnerabilities facing Turkish society in order to pave the way for our country’s success.”
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TÜSİAD
TÜSAİD is Turkey’s largest business association. Alongside the more conservative MÜSİAD, TÜSİAD is often viewed as Turkey’s more western-friendly, secular business organization, while their counterpart is associated with businessmen in more conservative parts of Anatolia such as Kayseri and Konya.
TÜSİAD has previously clashed with Erdoğan on several occasions, although their relationship has been mostly cordial, including the organization voicing support for the then-Prime Minister following 2016’s failed coup d’etat attempt.
Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick
