How did the major disaster in Bolu happen? It turns out how the legislation changed in 2021: So that the Minister of Tourism could build a hotel...

The fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel, located at the Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Center, turned into a horrific tragedy that resulted in the loss of 78 lives. The "Who is responsible?" debates that began following the fire have brought the negligence in inspections and the legislative change made in 2021 back to the agenda.

With the change, the inspection authority of municipalities was transferred to the ministry. However, allegations that this decision was made to overcome problems in Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy's own hotel project are at the center of the criticism.

HOW DID THE DEBATES START?

Minister Ersoy, who went to the scene after the tragedy, stated that the hotel had passed the fire department inspection affiliated with the Bolu Municipality.

However, Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan made a harsh statement, noting that the inspection authority belonged to the ministry. Özcan said, "Our powers were taken away from us with the legislative change made in 2021. The primary responsibility for this fire belongs to the ministry."

Following these statements, calls for Minister Ersoy's resignation began to be made on social media and in the political arena. In particular, the inadequacy of the inspections and the ignoring of deficiencies have drawn great public reaction.

HOW WAS THE LEGISLATION CHANGED IN 2021?

T24 columnist Tolga Şardan addressed a striking dimension of the legislative change made in 2021 in his article written after the fire. Şardan brought up the allegation that this change was carried out for Minister Ersoy's hotel project located in Bodrum Torba.

According to these allegations, which are based on the social media posts of former AKP MP Fatih Süleyman Denizolgun, the company owned by Minister Ersoy could not obtain the necessary fire report for the hotel project in Bodrum.

The Muğla Metropolitan Municipality requested a new fire report for the license. However, this process was bypassed through the ministry's legislative change.

After the legislative change, the inspection authority of the municipalities was transferred to the ministry, and the requirement for hotels to obtain a fire report was lifted. Thus, Minister Ersoy's hotel began operating with its old business license.

DEFICIENCIES AT THE GRAND KARTAL HOTEL

Examinations conducted after the fire revealed that the Grand Kartal Hotel had serious deficiencies in terms of fire safety measures. It was determined that at the hotel:

Fire exit stairs did not open to the outside,

There was no fire extinguishing equipment in the rooms,

Fire alarm systems were missing,

The building was expanded with additions contrary to the license.

The fact that the hotel had received a fire adequacy certificate despite all these deficiencies once again revealed the dysfunctionality of the inspection mechanism.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

While Minister Ersoy blames the Bolu Municipality regarding the fire, municipal officials emphasize that the inspection authority lies with the ministry. In the public eye, the question of "Is the municipality or the ministry responsible?" is being debated.

Allegations that the ministry did not use its inspection authority sufficiently after the legislative change and that the inspections were carried out for show make it difficult to determine those responsible for this tragedy.

Following the growing public reaction, political parties invited Minister Ersoy to resign. In the legal process initiated to identify those responsible for the fire tragedy, it is expected that many parties, including the ministry, the municipality, and the hotel management, will be questioned.