İYİ Party's motion to 'investigate visa crisis' blocked by AKP and MHP: 'They are in a crony relationship'

A research motion submitted by the İYİ Party Group to "examine in all its aspects the problems encountered by our citizens who wish to travel abroad during visa application processes" raised tensions in the General Assembly.

Emphasizing that there is no state oversight of visa appointment processes, İYİ Party Group Chairman Buğra Kavuncu drew attention to the economic scale created by intermediary agencies. Recalling the access bans imposed on news reports regarding the subject, Kavuncu stated the following:

"Do you know how much money has come out of our pockets when service fees, insurance costs, and other application expenses are taken into account? 27 billion Turkish liras, that is 500 million dollars. This is the cost of the money left to these intermediary agencies by our citizens who applied for a visa but could not obtain one. When you add those who did receive visas, we are talking about a figure of 750 million dollars. Now, the Ministry of Trade has launched an investigation. I ask you: Where was your mind? Have you never said until today, 'Let's audit these, what is happening here?'"

Criticizing the censorship applied to journalists who reported on the grievances of citizens, Kavuncu called out: "You imposed access bans on the publications that reported the news. If you are preventing the discussion of such a dubious issue, if you have the courage, raise your hands and accept this research motion of ours; let us discuss this profiteering and corruption here together in confidence."

Özdağ: Companies are in a crony relationship with AKP deputies and ministers

Taking the floor during the deliberations, Yeni Yol Group Deputy Chairman Selçuk Özdağ brought much more serious allegations to the parliamentary podium. Stating that the ownership structures of the intermediary companies should be investigated immediately, Özdağ also addressed Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan:

"These companies are companies that have relationships with some deputies and some ministers of the Justice and Development Party—former and current deputies and ministers; I am saying this clearly, let all of Turkey hear this, let the whole world hear this. You talk about 'purification,' you say, 'We are fighting against corruption,' well then, let's go after this together."

Recalling the new foundation decided to be established within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Özdağ said, "Let us also ask this question to Mr. Hakan Fidan. Have you incorporated all the work of these companies into your own foundation? You have not; these companies are still operating, they are making unfair profits. They are not working the way a European country works; they are working within crony relationships."

AKP's Üçüncü: Investigation into 7 companies is ongoing, we will reject it

Istanbul Deputy Oğuz Üçüncü responded to the opposition's criticisms on behalf of the AKP Group. Stating that those who make unfair profits will be punished and that investigations are currently underway into seven different intermediary companies, Üçüncü attributed the increasing visa demand to the government's successes and said the following:

"Let no one have any doubt that whoever does not comply with our laws, whoever has tormented our citizens to make unfair profits, will definitely receive the punishment they deserve. The record level of visa applications to Schengen countries indicates that, as AK Party Governments, we have increased the mobility of the broad masses of the people. We need to finally resolve the visa liberalization issue with our counterparts in the European Union as promised. I am informing the General Assembly that we will vote against the motion because we are already closely following and addressing the existing problems."

As a result of the vote, the İYİ Party's motion to investigate visa processes was rejected by the votes of the AKP and MHP.