Lack of merit is now blatant! 'They appointed managers to unopened airports'

Sözcü columnist İsmail Saymaz, following his articles on the staffing practices at the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMİ), wrote today that managers have been appointed to airports that have not yet opened.

“DHMİ has invented yet another method that will write its name in the history of cronyism in golden letters. They are sending well-connected cronies as managers to airports that have not even opened yet,” Saymaz stated, noting the following in his column:

"EVEN THE APPOINTMENT LETTER IS A CONFESSION OF CRONYISM"

“An example? Chief Hakan Çöl was appointed as the manager of Isparta - Burdur Airport in 2020. A day later, he was made the Operations Branch Manager. The BTS (United Transport Workers' Union) had the appointment canceled. DHMİ, which was supposed to reinstate him to his former position, appointed Çöl as the manager of the unopened Yozgat Airport on November 30. However, since this airport has not opened, he continues his duty at DHMİ.”

“On the same day… Hasan Hakan Karakuş was made the manager of the unopened Gümüşhane - Bayburt Airport. While he was a chief, Karakuş had been appointed as a deputy head manager at Trabzon Airport. A few days later, he was made a branch manager. When the court canceled the appointment, he became the manager of Gümüşhane-Bayburt Airport. Even the appointment letter counts as a confession of cronyism. The letter reads: ‘It has been decided to cancel Karakuş's appointment as branch manager. Although he should have been appointed to the Çanakkale Airport Manager position, since the position is full, it has been deemed appropriate to appoint him to the vacant airport manager position under the Gümüşhane - Bayburt Airport Directorate, and he will serve under the Trabzon Airport Head Directorate until the construction process of the airport, which is still ongoing, is completed.’”