Developments referred to in the public eye as the "fund crisis" were brought to the agenda at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) through mutual statements from political party groups. While opposition parties argued that the issue should be examined by a parliamentary inquiry commission, AKP Deputy Group Chair Özlem Zengin demanded that the list at the center of the controversy be fully disclosed.
In the session chaired by Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Celal Adan, group deputy chairs took the floor to raise both allegations of victimization and the oversight responsibilities of public institutions. Speaking on behalf of the New Way Group, Mehmet Emin Ekmen stated that the establishment of an inquiry commission was "inevitable," adding that this was a necessity not only for the opposition but also for the AKP.
İYİ Party Deputy Group Chair Uğur Poyraz also expressed that the request for a commission was not made to cast suspicion on anyone, but to clarify the incident in all its aspects. Poyraz emphasized that questions such as whether the money was moved abroad and what the oversight mechanisms did must be answered.
CHP Deputy Group Chair Sevda Erden Kılıç stated that the opposition had been making efforts for approximately 30 hours to have their research motions discussed. Kılıç argued that the money of 455 thousand 758 investors remained trapped, saying the issue concerned millions of people along with their families.
OPPOSITION INSISTS ON COMMISSION
DEM Party Deputy Group Chair Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit stated that the government was opposed to the establishment of an inquiry commission, reacting with the words, "What are you hiding? What are you keeping from the public?" Koçyiğit argued that the responsibilities of institutions such as the Capital Markets Board (SPK), the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), Borsa İstanbul, and the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) should be investigated.
CHP Deputy Group Chair Ali Mahir Başarır also said it was unacceptable for the Parliament not to investigate this issue. Başarır asked, "If the Grand National Assembly of Turkey is not going to investigate this issue, what will it investigate?" A brief verbal altercation also took place in the General Assembly between Başarır and AKP Konya Deputy Mehmet Baykan.
Taking the floor following the discussions, AKP Deputy Group Chair Özlem Zengin stated that what had occurred created a burden on all deputies, saying, "Whatever we call this—fund mentality, fund crisis, fund issue, fund robbery—whatever we call it, this is an important matter."
Zengin said that a Fund Monitoring Board had been established and that this board was working with the goal of identifying the situation regarding those who were victimized and making payments of up to 1 million. Stating that the judicial process was ongoing, Zengin expressed that the truly important issue was to uncover "how the crime was committed" and who from the public sector was involved in the process.
Noting that the State Supervisory Council was also working to identify deficiencies in the system, Zengin stated that they were not ruling out the option of a parliamentary inquiry commission, adding, "A commission can also be established; this is one of the options. We will discuss this again in the coming days," she said.
Taking the floor again after the discussion in the General Assembly, Başarır said he was not targeting all deputies and added, "I want the names of those who did this to be revealed and disclosed." Upon this, Zengin reiterated her call for the list to be disclosed.
Zengin stated, "I want the entire list to be disclosed. I want all of it to be disclosed. Fine, I don't know how, but let this list be disclosed, and I think everyone will find peace," she said.
News Source: 12punto
