Minister Yumaklı confirms those allegations regarding forest fires!

During the summer months, allegations had surfaced that helicopters tasked with firefighting did not take off during fires due to various reasons, such as pilots not receiving their pay or a lack of fuel, and that official reports were filed as a result. The Ministry had previously claimed these were untrue. CHP Manisa MP Vehbi Bakırlıoğlu, who brought the issue to the Parliament's agenda, requested information in a parliamentary question about the measures taken for firefighting this year, pointing out that the contractor firm that won the tender, THK Gökçen Havacılık - MGİ Defence, did not fulfill its contractual obligations. In his motion, he asked Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı what sanctions had been applied to this firm.

ALLEGATIONS CONFIRMED

In its response to CHP's Bakırlıoğlu's parliamentary question, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry stated that 105 helicopters, 27 aircraft, and 14 unmanned aerial vehicles were prepared for firefighting this year. The response, which confirmed the allegations, reported that an official report was filed against the contractor firm and that punitive actions were taken. It was noted that the contract was terminated due to the firm's failure to fulfill contractual provisions and that the matter has been referred to the judiciary.

MASSIVE INCREASE IN BURNED AREA!

The response, which stated that 5 night-vision helicopters with a 2.5-ton water-dropping capacity were on duty to intervene in fires this year, said, "In 2023, 2,579 forest fires occurred and 15,520 hectares of forest area were damaged. In 2024, 3,399 forest fires occurred (as of October 14, 2024) and approximately 25,000 hectares of forest area were damaged, with measurement efforts still ongoing."

CONFESSION IN THE COMMITTEE

The issue also came up during the budget negotiations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry at the TBMM Planning and Budget Committee. While CHP's Bakırlıoğlu recalled that the ministry had previously made a public statement saying "there is no such event," he called these incidents a "scandal." Upon this, Minister İbrahim Yumaklı said, "Of course, in the middle of the firefighting season, one does not enter into such a polemic, and we did not either." Yumaklı stated, however, that the General Directorate of Forestry has a tracking system for disruptions and that these are ongoing. Bakırlıoğlu said, "So the helicopters didn't take off." Minister Yumaklı replied, "Yes. Whenever there is any setback regarding these, whenever they don't take off, we have very serious support regarding reserve forces." Bakırlıoğlu reminded that while 35 helicopters were supposed to arrive according to the contract, only 24 arrived. Yumaklı said, "Yes. There were those who could not come from Russia due to war conditions, and we applied the contract rules regarding them and imposed a very serious penalty on the relevant firm." Bakırlıoğlu said, "Mr. Minister, paying compensation, being punished, being sued... I mean, it is a scandal that they didn't take off when the helicopter was there, please, don't do this." Yumaklı replied, "In case of any non-compliance with the contract, we apply the necessary penal sanctions and the contract regarding it." Arguing that there was no weakness and that they made "shifts from reserve forces," Yumaklı said, "Frankly, I don't think this facility and capability of our country is a situation to be debated much."

AKP MEMBERS WERE UNCOMFORTABLE

AKP Ankara MP Orhan Yegin intervened, saying, "The pilot says so, let's see what the minister says?" CHP Malatya MP Veli Ağbaba asked AKP's Yegin, "Why are you uncomfortable, why?" Ağbaba emphasized that there was a "serious issue" at hand. Minister Yumaklı defended himself by saying, "Let me give one last answer regarding this: There has been no problem regarding the intervention due to any disruption or adversity that occurred."

'THEY WATCHED WHILE THE FORESTS BURNED'

CHP's Bakırlıoğlu evaluated the minister's statements to our newspaper. Stating that Yumaklı's response proved his allegations, Bakırlıoğlu said:

"The fact that the MGI firm did not comply with its contractual commitments was also included in the response to the motion. The relevant firm delivered only half, 5, of the 10 night-vision helicopters. Even this alone is a reason for contract termination, considering that it would create disruptions in firefighting. But for some reason, the firm was so valuable that, according to what we heard, the contract was only terminated 5-6 days before the end of the contract period. So we see that the reports we received and shared with the public, which include allegations such as 'helicopters did not take off because foreign pilots did not receive their wages, and helicopters could not intervene in fires because there was not enough fuel,' are completely true. I invite everyone who has responsibility in this chain of negligence to resign. Whoever watched while our forests were burning should resign immediately."

(Cumhuriyet)