Turhan Çömez evaluates developments in Cyprus for 12punto: 'We wanted to establish a commission, they said 'let's cover it up''

Hazal Güven - 12punto.com.tr

Cemil Önal, who was at the center of allegations regarding both the North Cyprus-based money laundering traffic and bribery and blackmail tapes extending to Turkey, was murdered in the Netherlands. The allegations that Cemil Önal, known to be at the head of Halil Falyalı's money laundering and bribery network, who worked as Falyalı's accountant and had been in the Netherlands for some time, told Ayşemden Akın from the Bugün Kıbrıs newspaper, have been debated for days. 

However, since a significant portion of these allegations also involved Turkey and Turkish bureaucrats currently holding critical positions, what Önal recounted hit the agenda like a bombshell. 

İYİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Turhan Çömez submitted a parliamentary research motion to the TBMM regarding the allegations. However, Çömez's motion was rejected by the votes of AKP and MHP deputies. Speaking to 12punto, Çömez said, "We said, 'Let's submit a research motion and have it accepted. Let's establish a commission.' It was not accepted. It is a pity for Turkey." 

Çömez stated the following: 

'THEY SAID 'LET'S COVER IT UP''

"Just 2 days ago, a research motion was submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM). It was said, 'Grave things are happening in Cyprus, there are very serious allegations. For instance, it is now far beyond the dimension of personal immorality or corruption. It concerns the future of Cyprus and the national security of Turkey. Let's submit a research motion and have it accepted. Let's establish a commission.' However, with the hands raised by the ruling party, they said, 'No, let's not establish a commission, let's not investigate, this is not very important. Let's cover it up.' 

'THEY TRANSFERRED MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO ENGLAND'

So what is happening in Cyprus? Look, Cyprus will become the most important center in the next phase of the Greater Middle East Project, and very important things are happening in Cyprus. It had been going on for years, but very serious developments have been taking place for the last few months. The Republic of Turkey appointed an ambassador to Cyprus exactly 7 months ago. Who was this ambassador? The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. We were surprised. The Deputy Minister became the ambassador to Cyprus and was then suddenly recalled. We brought it up in parliament and in the media. We asked, 'Why did you send him, why did he come back?' There is no answer, no explanation. We don't know why. But interesting things are happening in Cyprus. Look, the father of the person we appointed as ambassador to Cyprus served as the head of the secret fund in Turkey. He has incredible investments in Cyprus. For example, one of them is 'His Crown Residence.' That is, 'The King's Mansion.' It is a place like that. There is an investment of billions of liras here. Who made the investment? The sons of the person I mentioned who was at the head of the secret fund made it. And do you know who one of those sons is? The person who was appointed as ambassador to Cyprus, who was previously the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. This is the headquarters of the companies. From here, from this center, they transferred massive amounts of money to England. There are documents. There is an address in England. At this address, that is, at the address of their companies, there is also the accountant's address where billions of liras of real estate investments were made by names closely known to Turkey, known as the 'Gang of Five.' Now, we don't know what these relationships are. History will write it. Perhaps when the day comes, they will be investigated one by one. But today, those in power do not want these to be known. 

'A JOINT COMPANY WAS ESTABLISHED'

Well, what else... Money goes to England from the address here, that is, from the address of the person who was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and then appointed as ambassador to Cyprus, and real estate worth hundreds of millions of liras is bought there. It seems our bureaucrats and civil servants know their business, and they are buying real estate in England. We said let's investigate these, let's get to the bottom of them. They said no. There is no need. Then something else emerged. In the past period, Halil Falyalı, one of the well-known names in Cyprus. A controversial name, and he was murdered. We said you had joint business with Halil Falyalı. He said no, we don't. We don't have such business. But later we investigated and found that the person who was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and then the Cyprus ambassador, and his family, have joint companies with Halil Falyalı. And this joint company was established in the 'King's Mansion' I mentioned earlier. This is the address. Where the money was transferred to England. And this man was appointed as ambassador to Cyprus. Would you look at these relationships? Then Halil Falyalı's accountant went to the Netherlands. It was reported in the press that way, and for a reason we don't know the details of, he was put in prison in the Netherlands. He made some statements. We warned them at that time and said, look, he is saying important things, let's get to the bottom of it. But it was not investigated. And finally, the person who was Halil Falyalı's accountant, who established a company at the same address with Yasin Ekrem Serim, Halil İbrahim Serim, the children of the person whose father was at the head of the secret fund, was released from prison in the Netherlands. What happened when he got out of prison? He started making statements, and respected newspapers in Cyprus started reporting on this. And those newspapers shared very important series of articles. According to the information they provided, Halil Falyalı's accountant made very important revelations in the statements he made in the Netherlands.

'WERE WE NOT AFTER THE TRUTH?'

He said that Halil Falyalı has very important tapes in his possession. These tapes reach very important names in Turkey, names in very powerful positions. They even reach their children. The tapes are not just tapes showing relationships that exceed moral boundaries. They are not just tapes exposing corruption. They are tapes documenting very serious, grave events. Meanwhile, we heard that Halil Falyalı's accountant met with American and Israeli intelligence services in the Netherlands and gave them very important information. And all of this was published in Cyprus newspapers. It was news for days, page after page. We said let's get to the bottom of this incident, there is a very serious issue here that concerns Turkey's national security. They remained silent again. Meanwhile, Cyprus rose up, and the foreign press brought the issue to the agenda. At a time we least expected, it turned out that a letter was sent from the Directorate of Communications to pro-government pens, pro-government journalists, and politicians belonging to the ruling party. The letter was, in a sense, giving instructions. 'If the Cyprus issue comes to the agenda, if the Halil Falyalı issue is brought to the agenda, you will deny it, you will never, ever accept any allegations regarding this, and you will say that this is a conspiracy. You will say it is the work of foreign powers, that it is a FETÖ plot.' That was the instruction. We were supposed to be looking for the truth. We were supposed to be after the facts. What is this instruction? And just at this moment, Halil Falyalı's accountant, who revealed information about both the corruption and immorality of very important politicians, very important names, and their children in Turkey, was murdered.

'THE COUNTRY WILL GO NOWHERE LIKE THIS'

But before this, another allegation emerged. Very important allegations emerged that ambassador Yasin Ekrem Serim was appointed there so that the tapes in question could be retrieved from Cyprus, from Falyalı, and from the relevant people, and we could not investigate any of these. Just 2 days ago, in my speech in parliament, I said, 'Look, these are all issues that have come to the world public's attention. The Cyprus media has risen up. For God's sake, please accept the establishment of this commission. If you are afraid, if you are not accepting it, look, Turkey has a state tradition. Send the relevant people from the Ministry of Justice to meet with this person. Let them talk about whatever information or documents there are. Let them get these from the Netherlands and bring them to Turkey. This is a national security issue for Turkey, and if all of these fall into the hands of America, Israel, or other elements, it will be a very serious security issue for Turkey. We said let's get to the bottom of these, let the state do what is necessary, but it was not accepted. And the news came that the person in question was also murdered. Look, the state is not managed like this. The country is not managed like this. This country will go nowhere with an understanding that has entered into dirty relationships, has established contact with intricate structures, has trampled on state traditions, and has put personal interests ahead of the nation's interests. It is truly a pity for Turkey.'"