HÜDA PAR emerges from beneath Kanal İstanbul! The connection in the tenders draws attention

Following the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 23 on corruption charges, the AKP government has accelerated the Kanal İstanbul project.

Housing projects being carried out by TOKİ, particularly in the vicinity of Sazlıbosna, are drawing attention despite clear warnings from İSKİ. Allegations that some of the companies awarded tenders for these projects are associated with business people linked to HÜDA PAR have sparked a new debate.

İSKİ'S WARNING IGNORED

A massive project for 24 thousand housing units was launched by TOKİ around the Sazlıdere Dam in Başakşehir, which lies at the heart of the rent-seeking project. In this context, 28 different tenders were held. However, the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ) stated that the construction area was in violation of the *“Water Basin Protection Regulation”* and gave TOKİ until May 23 to halt the project. Despite this, TOKİ continued with the construction.

TOKİ TENDERS AND THE HÜDA PAR CONNECTION

According to a report by Aytunç Ürkmez from Cumhuriyet, another striking element regarding the project TOKİ is carrying out around Sazlıdere is that a portion of the tenders were awarded to business people linked to HÜDA PAR. Three of the 28 tenders on the Kanal İstanbul route, totaling 6 billion 745 million 480 thousand TL, were awarded to Prestij Yaşam İnşaat Turizm Sağlık Gıda Petrol Sanayi Ticaret A.Ş. In two of these tenders, partnerships were formed with İFAM İnşaat ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti., and in one, with Adana Üstyapı İnşaat Emlak Konut ve Ticaret A.Ş.

It is known that Refik Taştimur and Rıdvan Taştimur, who are among the founders and executives of these three companies, are individuals close to HÜDA PAR. It is stated that Refik Taştimur played an active role in the election campaign of Salih Demir, who was HÜDA PAR's candidate for Adana Metropolitan Municipality in the 2024 local elections.

The relationships between the companies also reveal a striking structure. Refik Taştimur, one of the founders of Prestij Yaşam, transferred his shares in this company in 2020. On the other hand, Rıdvan Taştimur expanded the construction chain by founding the company called Adana Üstyapı during the period when he was the sole owner of İFAM İnşaat. Although he transferred his shares in İFAM to another person in 2022, it is stated that Adana Üstyapı still operates under the umbrella of İFAM.

HÜDA PAR AND HİZBULLAH CONNECTION IN ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Rıdvan Taştimur's involvement in the field work of HÜDA PAR's Adana candidate Salih Demir during the 2024 local elections is also documented by social media posts. It is seen that Rıdvan Taştimur made the call, “At least 70 votes for HÜDA PAR in Adana from our family. The target for the last 3 days is at least 90 votes. One vote for HÜDA PAR from every household.”

Cumhuriyet newspaper, in its report dated February 12, 2024, announced Salih Demir's candidacy with the headline “Hizbullah members are coming to the forefront.” The report included information that Demir had previously served as the Mersin-Tarsus district head of Mustazaf-Der, known for its closeness to Hizbullah, and had been detained several times due to activities linked to Hizbullah.

FAMILY-WIDE HÜDA PAR CONNECTION

Another name associated with HÜDA PAR, Refik Taştimur, also came to the agenda with his social media posts. It is seen that Taştimur supports the party's ideological rhetoric with the words, “We do not want prisons to be built; when you close the paths that lead to sin and prostitution, by God, there will be no need for prisons.” Political affiliation within the family is not limited to this. It is known that Refik Taştimur's relative, Şefik Taştimur, was a HÜDA PAR candidate for Member of Parliament from Muş in the 2018 general elections.

THEY ALSO SHOWED THEIR PRESENCE IN THE EARTHQUAKE ZONE

It was determined that the companies that came to the agenda with HÜDA PAR details in the government's Kanal İstanbul project were also present in construction works in the earthquake zone following the February 6 earthquakes. The companies in question jointly won a total of 7 tenders after the earthquake in Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, and Adana, with a total value of 11 billion 741 million 732 thousand TL, with 5 of them being İFAM, and 1 each being Prestij Yaşam and Adana Üstyapı.

News Source: 12punto