3 people used as scapegoats in Kartalkaya fire investigation on Erdoğan's orders: Fear that 'this will come back to us'

In the investigation into the fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu, which resulted in the deaths of 78 people, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has granted permission to investigate only three low-level bureaucrats, despite having previously denied such permission.

The individuals granted investigation permission include Levent Kırcan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Controllers, and controllers Barış Başayvaz and Abdulkadir Eren, who conducted the hotel's most recent inspection. According to information obtained by İsmail Saymaz, two previously prepared preliminary investigation reports concluded that these individuals were "not at fault," but the decision was changed following public pressure and political developments.

THREE PEOPLE “SACRIFICED” ON ERDOĞAN’S ORDERS

According to insider information reported by İsmail Saymaz, this reversal was driven by direct intervention from President Erdoğan. It is reported that AK Party Deputy Chairman Ali İhsan Yavuz, along with Kartalkaya Fire Investigation Commission Chairman Selami Altınok and commission members, observed the proceedings on-site last week and presented a report to Erdoğan.

Sources close to the AK Party made the following assessment:

"The Ministry's initial refusal to grant investigation permission would have led to this matter coming back to us in an accident we have no connection to. Most likely, our President gave the order in line with the report, and the minister offered up three heads."

Another point highlighted in İsmail Saymaz's report is the exclusion of high-level bureaucrats from the investigation. While the three individuals granted investigation permission are at the controller level, key figures such as General Manager of Investments and Enterprises Neşe Çıldık and Deputy Minister Nadir Alpaslan continue to be protected.

Speaking to Saymaz, İYİ Party Çanakkale Deputy and member of the Kartalkaya Fire Investigation Commission Rıdvan Uz commented on the situation as follows:

"They are sacrificing three people to shield the real perpetrators from the judiciary. Nine bureaucrats at the executive level remain untouched."

Grand Kartal Hotel owner Halit Ergül is a member of the board of directors of the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and issues "Safe Tourism" and "Sustainable Tourism" certificates.

The Chairman of the TGA Board is Deputy Minister Nadir Alpaslan, who was also not included in the investigation.

APPEAL AGAINST THE DECISION

As reported by İsmail Saymaz, Abdurrahman Gençbay, President of the 9th Chamber of the Council of State, who lost his son in the fire, has appealed the "no investigation permission" decision previously issued by the ministry. If the Council of State rules that an investigation should proceed, the bureaucrats could be tried even if the ministry does not grant permission.