Ministers, children of ministers, MPs... It has emerged that AKP figures bought 'discounted' homes from KİPTAŞ

It has emerged that during the AKP era, the İBB distributed low-cost homes to many AKP figures.

Approximately 200 individuals, including AKP member Çamlı—known as "Yeliz"—the wife of Interior Minister Yerlikaya, the daughter of Youth and Sports Minister Bak, and Ankara Governor Şahin, were sold homes at a discount.

200 BUREAUCRATS, BUSINESSPEOPLE, AND EXECUTIVES SOLD LOW-COST APARTMENTS

According to a report by İsmail Arı from BirGün, the İBB subsidiary Istanbul Housing Development Industry and Trade Inc. (KİPTAŞ), whose mission is to produce “human-oriented, not profit-oriented, projects suitable for every income group,” made special decisions for certain individuals between January 2018 and March 2019.

During the term of AKP member Mevlüt Uysal, who was placed in the İBB mayoral seat following the resignation of Kadir Topbaş, notable transactions were carried out in the Güzeltepe stage of the KİPTAŞ 5. Levent project. Despite there being no process negatively affecting real estate sales, the KİPTAŞ board of directors at the time made certain sales under the guise of a “campaign” with discounts. In this way, approximately 200 high-level bureaucrats, businesspeople, and KİPTAŞ executives were sold apartments at low prices.

“YELİZ” BOUGHT THREE APARTMENTS

Some of the names reached by BirGün who bought homes “cheaply” from the İBB subsidiary KİPTAŞ during the AKP era are as follows:

• Ahmet Hamdi Çamlı, known to the public as “Yeliz,” who is also the former driver of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and a 26th and 27th term AKP Istanbul MP, bought three apartments at once. Çamlı bought all three of his apartments at approximately 22 percent less than the list price.

YERLİKAYA’S WIFE

• Hatice Nur Yerlikaya, the wife of Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, was given an apartment with a 29 percent discount. It was reported that Yerlikaya purchased the apartment with a cash payment. The apartment, which had a list price of 1 million 728 thousand TL in December 2018, was given to Hatice Nur Yerlikaya for 1 million 227 thousand TL.

• Ankara Governor Vasip Şahin was also sold a home with a 27.50 percent discount. Şahin, who paid in cash, bought the 1 million 752 thousand TL apartment for 1 million 270 thousand TL.

• Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya, a 26th and 27th term AKP Istanbul MP and former Minister of Family and Social Policies, was also among the politicians who joined the queue for “cheap” homes. The home sale to Sayan Kaya from KİPTAŞ took place on December 28, 2018, just three months before the March 31, 2019 elections. Sayan Kaya bought the home, valued at 2 million 303 thousand TL, for 1 million 766 thousand TL.

MINISTER’S DAUGHTER

• It was learned that Aybüke Eda Aşkın Bak, the daughter of Youth and Sports Minister and AKP member Osman Aşkın Bak, also bought a home with a 24.64 percent discount on March 28, 2019, three days before the March 31, 2019 elections. Bak paid 1 million 289 thousand TL for the home valued at 1 million 711 thousand TL.

• Mustafa Ilıcalı, a former AKP MP who is also known to be the uncle of Acun Ilıcalı, bought two homes at once. The apartments, which had a list price of 1 million 154 thousand TL, were sold to Ilıcalı for 881 thousand TL.

LARGEST DISCOUNT TO HIS WIFE

Arzu Erdem, the wife of Cengiz Erdem—who was appointed General Manager of Emlak Konut after leaving the KİPTAŞ General Directorate—also bought a home. The largest discount was made for Arzu Erdem during the sale that took place while Cengiz Erdem was serving as Deputy General Manager. Erdem bought the 1 million 752 thousand TL apartment for 1 million 184 thousand TL with a 32.44 percent discount. It was reported that the payment for the apartment was made in cash.

Meanwhile, it was learned that apart from these names, many bureaucrats and politicians also bought homes in the names of their relatives, spouses, and children.