person:erdogan bayraktar

Former Turkish minister cashes in with urban transformation
▻http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/former-turkish-minister-cashes-in-with-urban-transformation.aspx?

The family of Erdoğan Bayraktar, who was implicated in the massive corruption probe in December 2013, has earned up to 72.4 million Turkish Liras ($27.6 million) thanks to an urban transformation project pushed by Bayraktar during his tenure as the Environment and Urbanization Minister.

The company run by the Bayraktar family bought a 10,000-square-meter plot of land in Istanbul’s Koşuyolu neighborhood for $22 million in 2013. The former minister had said at the time that there was no conflict of interest, describing the purchase as “an innocent investment.”

However, the family recently sold the land to a developer for 114.4 million Turkish Liras ($43.9 million), daily Hürriyet has learned. The massive profit that the Bayraktars earned in just two years is thanks to a recent change in the legal status of the plot.

#Corruption #Transformation_urbaine #Istanbul

Ex-minister confesses to ‘unlawful practices’ in wiretapped conversation
▻http://todayszaman.com/news-340353-ex-minister-confesses-to-unlawful-practices-in-wiretapped-c

A conversation that was published in a Turkish newspaper between former Environment and Urban Planning Minister Erdoğan Bayraktar and the head of the İstanbul Public Housing Corporation (KİPTAŞ), İsmet Yıldırım, has revealed that the ex-minister, along with other officials, was engaged in a number of unlawful practices, including the re-zoning of plots of land in İstanbul.

A transcript of the leaked conversation was published by the Karşı daily on Monday. In it, Yıldırım allegedly tells Bayraktar to change the zoning status of a plot of land in İstanbul’s Çatalca neighborhood to that of an earthquake-prone zone and then hand it over to KİPTAŞ. In response, according to the transcript, Bayraktar resists, saying that such a move would be illegal and that it would have “dire consequences.” KİPTAŞ was reportedly planning to build a police academy on the land.

In the conversation between Bayraktar and Yıldırım, which allegedly took place on July 24, 2013, the former minister admits to having engaged in unlawful practices in relation to land in İstanbul’s Etiler neighborhood. “I have already done this for Etiler," he allegedly said. “How can I do the same for Çatalca? They will hang us [if they learn about it].”

#Urbanisation
#Istanbul
#corruption

Broadcast cut after Turkish minister calls on PM to resign
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/broadcast-cut-after-turkish-minister-calls-pm-resign

http://english.al-akhbar.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/4cols/leading_images/890606-01-08.jpg

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip #erdogan acknowledges his supporters upon his arrival at Esenboga Airport in Ankara December 24, 2013. (Photo: AFP - Adem Altan)

#turkey's environment minister stepped down on Wednesday over a #Corruption probe, with his live broadcast being cut after calling on the prime minister to follow suit. “I am stepping down as minister and lawmaker,” Erdogan Bayraktar told the private NTV television. “I believe the prime minister should also resign,” he added before the television network cut the live broadcast in a move that immediately raised a stir on Twitter, with critics slamming it as #Censorship. Bayraktar was the third in the cabinet to resign Wednesday over an anti-graft probe that has roiled the government. read (...)

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