Minister Işıkhan's friend's son-in-law appointed as attaché to Germany with a 7,200 Euro salary: He doesn't speak the language...
It is alleged that Batuhan Gül, the son-in-law of Hüseyin Arabasüren—a university friend of Minister of Labor Işıkhan—has been appointed as a Labor Attaché, despite claims that he worked as a cook at his father-in-law's company and does not speak German. Gül will receive a monthly salary of 7,200 Euros for this position.
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Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan’s classmate from Hacettepe University, Hüseyin Arabasüren’s son-in-law Seyfettin Batuhan Gül, has been appointed as a ‘Labor Attaché’ to the Turkish Consulate General in Düsseldorf, Germany.
According to the report by Veli Toprak from Sözcü; Son-in-law Gül, who is not a civil servant and does not speak German, will remain in this position for 4 years and will receive a monthly salary of 7,200 Euros (approximately 270 thousand Turkish Lira).
HE WAS A COOK, NOW AN ATTACHÉ
The appointment of son-in-law Gül was made via a decree dated September 6, 2024. Gül, who worked as a ‘cook’ and ‘office staff’ at his father-in-law Arabasüren’s company in İzmir, became a Labor Attaché through an open appointment. Appointed at the first grade of the first degree, Gül will receive the highest salary. He will work in the Düsseldorf region, where the Turkish population in Germany is most concentrated.
THERE ARE 85 EXPERTS
The appointment of Batuhan Gül, who is married to Hüseyin Arabasüren’s daughter Pelin Arabasüren, caused a major backlash within the Ministry. This is because, for the first time, a person who does not speak German has been sent to this country as a Labor Attaché. There are 85 experts in the Ministry who have been trained and have served abroad. However, the appointments of these individuals are being held up due to ‘austerity measures’.
THE FATHER-IN-LAW WENT A YEAR AGO
The minister's friend, Hüseyin Arabasüren, is a Social Services Specialist. The father-in-law visited Turkey's Consulate General in Düsseldorf on September 16 last year. Arabasüren plans to open Special Education Centers consisting of 45 branches in EU countries, primarily in Germany and England.
CHP Deputy Chairman Gamze Taşçıer brought the issue to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) and asked Işıkhan the following in her motion:
“Which criteria and evaluations were taken into account during Gül’s appointment process? Are the allegations that Gül does not speak German and is not a civil servant true? If they are true, why and how was he deemed suitable for this position? How do you evaluate the influence of kinship relations and close personal ties on bureaucratic appointments? Considering the personal ties this person (Hüseyin Arabasüren) has with you, how do you evaluate this appointment in terms of ethics and merit standards?”