Özgür Özel: 'The AK Party Congress was awaited for the true scale of the fire to be revealed'

CHP leader Özgür Özel made a statement regarding the Grand Kartal Hotel fire in Bolu, in which 78 people lost their lives.

Sharing through his social media account, Özel stated, "From the very beginning, we have tried to keep this tragedy away from political debates. However, unfortunately, we did not see the same approach from the government."

Özel shared the following:

"We lost 78 of our lives in the tragedy in Bolu. 10 of our citizens are still receiving treatment in hospitals. We are in mourning, we are experiencing our pain.

The Republican People's Party (CHP) is in favor of conducting a fair and transparent investigation, regardless of who is responsible or which party they belong to, and ensuring that those responsible receive the harshest penalties. In this context, we are ready to provide all the contribution that falls to us.

From the very beginning, we have tried to keep this tragedy away from political debates.

However, unfortunately, we did not see the same approach from the government.

First, the completion of the speeches at the AK Party Ankara Provincial Congress was awaited for 6 hours so that the true scale of the tragedy could be shared with the public.

Then, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, who clearly holds the responsibility for licensing and certification in tourism areas according to all legislation, targeted our Bolu Municipality.

Later, the Minister of Justice continued this irresponsible attitude by specifically pointing to the fire department officials of the CHP-run municipality while providing information about the investigation.

Beştepe's communication centers were mobilized, and attempts were made to hide those responsible. The state's Anadolu Agency was used as a tool for a perception management campaign by showing a document given to a 70-square-meter cafe outside the hotel as if it had been given to the restaurant on the fourth floor.

Remote-controlled so-called journalists, commentators, and experts mobilized to keep the Ministry of Culture and Tourism out of responsibility.

Now, there are questions that need to be answered for the real culprits to emerge and for a similar tragedy not to be experienced again.

1. Why was a fire department not established to intervene in fires in a winter tourism region that operates at full capacity during the semester break?

2. How has the hotel in question continued its operations to this day with the fire competency certificate it received from the Justice and Development Party-run municipality in 2007? Why was a new certificate not requested during the Ministry's inspections? Why was the license of the hotel, which did not receive a new competency certificate for 18 years, not revoked by the Ministry, which is the sole authority?

3. Why was an exception made and an extension granted for the duration of the fire competency certificates that hotels were required to submit to the Ministry by April 30, 2024, according to the legislation?

4. For the first time since 2007, an inspection was requested from our Bolu Municipality in December 2024, and our Municipality did not issue a certificate of conformity to the hotel. From which institution was the certificate of conformity, which our Municipality did not issue, obtained? If it was not obtained, why did the Ministry not revoke this hotel's license?

5. The Minister of Culture and Tourism stated that the hotel passed inspections in 2021 and 2024 and that the fire competency certificate was available. Since the Municipality did not issue these documents, which institution issued them? If no institution issued them, it is understood that the 2007-dated document was considered sufficient. How did the Ministry consider a document from 18 years ago sufficient, and how did it grant inspection approval to this hotel?

The answers to these questions will reveal how the lack of system, the confusion of authority, and the lack of inspection led us to a tragedy. I once again wish God's mercy upon all our citizens who lost their lives and a speedy recovery to our injured, and I leave those who try to reap political gain from the tragedy that occurred to the conscience of the nation."