MP Ün, who resigned following smuggling accusations, reacts to driver: Shares prosecutor's statement

CHP Edirne MP Ediz Ün, in whose vehicle 2 million TL worth of illegal electronic cigarettes were found, made a statement regarding the matter following his resignation from his party. MP Ün stated, "Fatih Anıl, whom I knew before becoming an MP, who has residency in Bulgaria, knows the roads of that country well, and whom I had not encountered any behavior from that would shake my trust until this incident, was helping me as my driver in that country.

Everyone knows very well that MPs' vehicles are used by their legal or volunteer consultants and drivers. Likewise, official vehicles are used by their drivers, and we do not have the chance to check what is inside the vehicle. This is a relationship of trust, and in this incident, I myself have been a victim of my own trust.

One of many similar incidents was the transportation of drugs in a university rector's official vehicle a few years ago. Many examples of similar illegal activities carried out by those using official vehicles without the knowledge of the authorities can be found," he said.

"IT WAS LOADED WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE"

"On the day the incident in question took place, Fatih Anıl dropped me off at my residence in Edirne after returning from Bulgaria. I told him that the vehicle was due for service and that it should be taken to an authorized service center for repairs and maintenance, and I got out of my vehicle," said Ün, "After agreeing on taking my vehicle to the service in Istanbul, I went into my home. While I was resting at home, the individual loaded the electronic cigarettes in question into my vehicle without my knowledge in any way, took a person named Çağatay Rahmi Çetin with him, and set off, only to be stopped by police teams later. That is all there is to the incident."

REVEALS HIS DRIVER'S PROSECUTOR STATEMENT

MP Ün, who also disclosed his driver's statement, said, "Furthermore, Fatih Anıl explained the incident in its entirety in his statement and even confessed that he abused my trust. His statement is as follows:

'On September 20, 2024, around 14:30, I entered the Edirne province via the Kapıkule Border Gate with the vehicle bearing license plate 34 EKE 86. When I entered Edirne province, the electronic cigarette parts with the quantities and features specified above were not in the vehicle. Before I entered Turkey, a male individual who is a Bulgarian citizen and whom I know by the name Antony, but whose contact information I did not obtain, told me in Bulgaria that there were electronic apparatuses in a foreign-plated minibus in the back street of the File market near the Hilly Hotel when I entered Edirne province, and he told me to take them and bring them to Istanbul, and he took my phone number.

On the same day, I loaded these products into the vehicle with license plate 34 EKE 86 from a white-colored minibus, whose license plate I do not remember but recall as being foreign-plated, at the address in question. There was a Bulgarian national male between 50-60 years old next to the vehicle, and he did not interact with me in any way; afterwards, I left after loading these products into the vehicle from the address in question. At this time, Çağatay Rahmi Çetin, a friend of mine from Tekirdağ and Bulgaria, called me and requested that I drop him off in Tekirdağ-Çorlu, saying his vehicle had broken down in the center of Edirne. I picked him up near the Hilly Hotel and gave him the vehicle to drive as I was tired. The police stopped us as we were passing through the Edirne toll booths.'”

"HE LOADED IT AFTER I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE"

MP Ün said, "As can be seen, the individual waited for me to get out of the vehicle and subsequently loaded the items subject to the crime into the vehicle. Although this situation is known by the entire media, I have been unfairly smeared, and while I am the victim of the crime, an attempt has been made to portray me as the perpetrator. Among the many lies in the press, there are also reports that the public prosecutor called me and said that a search would be conducted in the vehicle, and that I opposed this. All of these are baseless.

On the contrary, it is known by all judicial authorities dealing with the case that as soon as I became aware of the situation, I had both my consent and full support for the judicial authorities to search the vehicle. Likewise, on September 21, 2024, the day immediately following the incident, I filed a criminal complaint against the suspects with the Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor's Office immediately. The file is currently open and is being followed by me through my lawyers.

I will put up every struggle I can to ensure that the suspects who stained my name and reputation are punished before the judiciary. Similar false and misleading news has also been made regarding my entries and exits to Bulgaria. As everyone living in Edirne knows very well and does, we go to this country with our families and friends, and from time to time, we host guests who come to our province. There is no extraordinary situation here. In the news reports, an attempt is being made to create a perception as if all my entries and exits to Bulgaria were made with Fatih Anıl.

Another aspect of the distortion of this incident, which is used entirely to create a perception and in which I am being portrayed as the perpetrator while I am the victim, is here. I have resigned from my party, to which I am wholeheartedly attached, in order to prevent the dirty information and fake news in the pool media and social media from damaging the corporate identity of the Republican People's Party. I hope that the truth will come out clearly in a very short time and I will return to my home. However, let everyone know that I will not let this go. I am following the investigation files to the end. From now on, I will settle scores one by one before the judiciary with those who make fake news, social media trolls, and those who insult," he defended himself.