'Favour' to the person convicted of FETO... Remarkable 'tax' decision from the Ministry

With the notification published in the Official Gazette, an anti-dumping duty was imposed on imports of "Sodium Gluconate" originating from China.

TAX BETWEEN 22.5 PERCENT AND 32.9 PERCENT

The Ministry of Commerce completed its dumping investigation against "sodium gluconate" imports originating from the People's Republic of China and decided to take strict measures to protect the domestic producer.

According to the notification published in the Official Gazette today, anti-dumping tax will be collected on the CIF value (total amount including goods, insurance and transportation) of the imported product at customs.

In line with the decision taken, the additional tax rates to be applied to companies were determined as follows:

• Weifang Jianbao Biotechnology Co., Ltd.: 22.5 percent

• Shandong Fuyang Bio-Tech. Co., Ltd.: 24.4 percent

• All other Chinese exporters: 32.9 percent

A TRANSACTION TO DOMESTIC PRODUCERS IS EXPECTED

The increase in the cost of this chemical, which is used as a raw material in many industrial sectors such as construction chemicals, cleaning, textile and food, is expected to direct importers to domestic producers or tax-free alternative countries. These customs measures, which came into force on the date of publication, will continue to be implemented uninterruptedly for 5 years in accordance with the legislation.

SINGLE MANUFACTURER COMPANY

There is only one producer of this raw material in Türkiye. According to the Ministry of Commerce, this manufacturer is "Sunar Mısır" based in Adana. The company produces domestic sodium gluconate through fermentation of glucose obtained from starch. It was learned that it was Sunar Mısır who requested the opening of the dumping investigation in question.

COMPANY OWNER, SCIENTIFIC DISPLAYER

The company is affiliated with "Sunar Yatırım". Sunar Yatırım Honorary President Hüseyin Nuri Çomu's connections with the community and AKP-MHP attracted attention. Çomu currently serves as the President of the Adana Branch of the Science Dissemination Society. In addition, Çomu is also a member of the Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MÜSİAD), which is a "community capital association".

HE WAS ARRESTED BECAUSE OF FETO

Çomu, in addition to being the branch president of the Science Dissemination Society and a member of MÜSİAD, is also remembered for the case in which he was tried after the July 15 FETO coup attempt. Çomu was arrested on September 24, 2016, within the scope of the investigation into the business world structuring carried out by the Adana Chief Public Prosecutor's Office after the coup attempt. Çomu, who remained in prison for approximately 2.5 months, was released as a result of objections.

HE WAS PUNISHED FOR FETOIST

However, after his release, Adana 11th High Criminal Court accused Çomu of "being a member of an armed terrorist organization" and "violating the law on the financing of terrorism" in the main case where 103 businessmen, including Çomu, were tried. At the end of the trial, the court sentenced Çomu to 5 years, 22 months and 15 days in prison on December 13, 2018, for "being a member of an armed terrorist organization". After completing his sentence, Çomu was elected as the branch president of the Science Dissemination Society.