The phrase stinks of salt is no longer sufficient: Post-12 State Bureaucracy's Infiltration into the Sector
Quick Look
- After September 12, retired generals, MIT bureaucrats and university academics exceeded ethical boundaries by joining the boards of directors of companies affiliated with the institutions they worked for in state institutions in order to earn generous salaries; This situation has become possible with the abolition of Article 2 of Law No.
- 2531, which prohibits commercial relations of those who left public office with former institutions, as the expression 'Smelled of salt' is inadequate, and ethical problems have come to the fore.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
After the September 12 coup, retired generals and MİT bureaucrats were placed on the boards of directors of state holdings. Later, these officials started to sit on the boards of directors of companies in the private sector, especially banks and financial institutions, for ample post-separation salaries. This situation became possible with the abolition of Article 2 of Law No. 2531, which prohibited commercial relations of those who left public office with former institutions.
It is time to remove from circulation the expression "Salt smelled", which we use to emphasize that shame has disappeared from our language. Because even the phrase "Salt smelled", which we used for many years to describe the shamelessness we experienced and witnessed, was inadequate.
Bureaucrats who held high-level positions in the state for many years and academics who held chairs at prestigious universities should find a new expression to describe a period when they were not ashamed to have their names used in companies whose speculative transactions were at the top in the stock market, in fund and investment banks, for the sake of a handsome salary.
After September 12, they filled the boards of directors of our holdings with retired pashas and retired MİT bureaucrats.
For example, in Kemal Horzum's Hortaş Company, which is involved in all kinds of corruption, from fictitious exports to smuggling and bank fraud; Three retired generals and a retired MİT deputy undersecretary were serving on the board of directors.
Ömer Çavuşoğlu and Ahmet Kozanoğlu, the owners of Hisarbank, which was remembered with its "bank like a castle" advertisement, also appointed a retired general, a famous professor, and a former prime minister (Sadi Irmak) to the board of directors of the bank, which they later bankrupted. Looking at its management from the outside, it was truly a bank like a castle. But it sank.
It would be a shame if Istanbul Bank, of which Tansu Çiller's husband Özer Çiller is the general manager, did not follow the fashion. He also had a retired admiral under his management. Alas, this bank also went bankrupt.
For example, former Chief of General Staff Semih Sancar was hired by a large holding company of ours. At least the holding he works for is alive. But retired Land Forces Commander Gen. Hayyam Garipoğlu's Sümerbank, where Muhittin Fisunoğlu serves on the board of directors, wishes you a lifetime.
Ertan Sert, the biggest imaginary exporter of the period, did not give bonuses to pashas and appointed the former deputy undersecretary of MİT as the manager of his company.
The rule of the 12 September pashas ceased to exist after the general elections were held. This time, holdings and dubious companies filled the positions vacated by pashas with university professors and retired bureaucrats.
Kemal Satır, who was a board member of an important bank in Turkey, was actually a doctor. Come on Dr. Maybe Satır served as responsible for the health of the board of directors for the healthy growth of the bank.
IS IT WORTH IT FOR THE GREAT SALARY?
Banker Kastelli, for example; He took Yılmaz Karakoyunlu, who held senior positions in the former DPT, under his management. One of the coaches Kastelli was closest to was Erdoğan Alkin. So much so that Prof. Alkin invited Kastellli to the university to give a seminar to his students. Erdoğan Alkin was also on the board of directors of the late Transtürk Holding. Apparently the information he gave was of no use.
The situation of Kerem and Emre Alkin, sons of fund profiteer Tera Holdin, is no different from their father. The two people, who foresaw that Tera Fon would go bankrupt, immediately jumped into the vacant position for the sake of a generous salary. They are now detained.
WHAT ABOUT THE BUREAUCRATS?
Doğan Cansızlar, who served as the Chairman of the CMB, served on the board of directors of CLK Holding, which is open to the stock exchange, after leaving the institution. CLK Holding is one of the rare companies that went bankrupt after being listed on the stock exchange.
We see Kadir Boy, the former treasurer of Istanbul at Foncu Tera Holding.
According to Article 2 of Law No. 2531, has the provision that those who leave public office cannot take on duties or jobs, directly or indirectly, in matters related to their duties and fields of activity in that institution and organization against the institutions they worked for in the 2 years before the date of their resignation, has been abolished?
Aside from the sanctions in the law, is what they do for the sake of a good salary ethical?
Is it worth tarnishing their name and going to prison for a salary?
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Article 2 of Law No. 2531 will be reintroduced or a similar ban will be introduced.
Possible · Within months
CMB and other auditing institutions will impose stricter control on such board appointments.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Are these apps legal now?
- Who benefits from these applications?
- What are the economic effects of this situation?
- How many people were hired this way after the ban was lifted?
