Merdan Yanardağ reacts sharply to the sale of TELE1: '28 million lira is a looting price'

The Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) has announced that it has initiated the sales process for TELE1, whose management it seized as part of an ongoing investigation.

The commercial integrity, which includes the ABC Radio Television and TELE1 Production companies, will be put up for tender with an estimated value of 28 million TL, and a bid collection process will be carried out.

YANARDAĞ'S STATEMENT ON THE SALE DECISION

Following the public announcement of the sale decision, the first statement came from TELE1 Editor-in-Chief Merdan Yanardağ.

In a text titled "A mandatory statement and a call to the public," shared by Yanardağ through his lawyers on social media, evaluations regarding the sale price were included. The statement read, "It is very clear; 28 million lira is a looting price. I will disclose a piece of information here for the first time: last year, we were offered 15 times this amount for Tele1, and we did not sell."

"THE GOVERNMENT IS HANDING OUR CHANNEL OVER TO PRO-GOVERNMENT FIGURES"

Merdan Yanardağ's statement is as follows:

"A mandatory statement and a call to the public

The government, which appointed a trustee to Tele1, is now trying to loot our channel and hand it over to pro-government figures by putting it up for sale through the TMSF.

Tele1, which overcame financial embargoes with the support of the public and the contributions of our friends, and furthermore achieved great success by entering the top four news channels, is being put up for tender for 28 million TL.

This price is less than Tele1's three-month operating expenses. The amount of our employees' five-month salaries (last year) was more than this. We paid the wages without any delays. Now they want to transfer the value we created with all of our sweat, labor, intellect, and will to a pro-government figure for next to nothing.

The purpose of the 'espionage' conspiracy based on lies and slander has thus been revealed once again beyond any doubt. The goal was to seize Tele1 and try to silence it.

We did not remain silent, but they continue their insistence on looting Tele1. They want to sell our channel for next to nothing and dump the debts on us.

It is very clear; 28 million lira is a looting price. I will disclose a piece of information here for the first time: last year, we were offered 15 times this amount for Tele1, and we did not sell. Information also came that the price could be raised further if we wanted.

Previously, even for 50% of the channel, an offer was made that was approximately ten times the starting price of the TMSF tender. We did not accept it because we believe that Tele1 belongs to society, its viewers, and its employees.

If we had sold it, I might not have been arrested. In fact, the offerors had already warned me very indirectly by saying that 'I deserved to live a little more comfortably now.' With the money we would have received, we could have established another media outlet later, etc. These were, supposedly, 'friendly' offers."

News Source: 12punto