Allegations of irregular appointments at Yunus Emre Institute: Are acquaintances being paid double salaries?

Allegations regarding irregularities at the Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) continue to emerge.

According to a report in Cumhuriyet, it is claimed that the new president, Abdurrahman Aliy, who succeeded Şeref Ateş—who is alleged to be abroad—has dismissed experienced institutional staff and replaced them with acquaintances through irregular appointments involving double salaries.  

Beyond the irregular practices alleged to have occurred at cultural centers in Rome, Vienna, Cologne, Beijing, Madrid, Cairo, and Baku, it is also claimed that Aliy has made similar appointments at the institute's headquarters.

‘ENCOURAGING ABUSE’

One source stated that Aliy has been assigning roles to acquaintances from Istanbul University and the Turkish-German University, where he previously worked, and addressed the negative consequences of this situation by saying: “Qualified foundation personnel with the necessary skills and experience are being removed from their positions through unjustified, crony-based academic and civil servant assignments made from outside the institution. In this situation, the widespread nature of these assignments encourages those appointed to gain financial benefits through double salaries and promotes the abuse of office. It is absolutely not based on merit or need. It is nepotism.” 

In the investigation into "fake invoices" at the YEE, 17 people were detained following the resignation of Kutalmış Yalçın, the husband of Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Göktaş and the son of MHP Deputy Chairman Semih Yalçın.