'HABAŞ' reaction from NEW Party: 'Those who must be held accountable are starting a donation campaign'

NEW Party Izmir Deputy Murat Bakan made a written statement about the explosion in the HABAŞ Iron and Steel Factory in Aliağa, Izmir, in which 19 workers lost their lives.

"WE WILL NOT ALLOW HABAŞ TO BECOME A 'SOMA'"

"We owe justice to the families of the 19 workers who lost their lives in HABAŞ. You cannot achieve that justice by giving house arrest to the bosses, by 'guesting' the boss representatives in prison for a few days, by silently closing the files, or by starting a 'donation campaign' instead of being held accountable and doing what is necessary as the government," the Minister said:

"What happened in Turkey is not an exception, it is the order itself. According to the data of the İSİG Assembly, at least 2,105 workers lost their lives while working in 2025 alone. An average of six workers every day. People die in our country for reasons that would not require people to die anywhere else in the world. 9 of the 11 people detained within the scope of the investigation were arrested. But HABAŞ Chairman Mehmet Rüştü Başaran was released under judicial control in the form of house arrest.

Tunç Soyer, the former mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, has been in prison since July 4, 2025, that is, for 16 months. A release order was issued in one file, he was arrested again with other files following, and he is still in prison today. Soyer is being tried in this case because he was the chairman of the board of directors of İZBETON during his term of office. There is not a single loss of life. On the other hand, the chairman of the board of directors of a facility full of deaths, where 19 workers died, is sitting at home. Does this picture satisfy the public conscience? It doesn't. On the one hand, politicized justice keeps the elected mayors of the opposition locked up for months, and on the other hand, it sends home the boss of the business where 19 workers died.

Everyone is responsible except the boss. We lost 301 miners in Soma on May 13, 2014; Can Gürkan, chairman of the board of directors of Soma Coal Enterprises, was released by the decision of the Izmir Regional Court of Justice in April 2019. In February 2021, the last three detainees in the case were released and there was not a single detained defendant left in the file. For each miner who died, only a few days were spent in prison... Families sought justice in the courthouse corridors for years. "We will not allow HABAŞ to become a 'Soma'."

"HELP CANNOT BE TURNED INTO DEMONSTRATION"

"With the call of the AKP General Secretary, Izmir Chamber of Commerce, Aegean Region Chamber of Industry and Izmir Commodity Exchange launched a donation campaign called 'A Thousand Shoulders for a Pain' for the families of the dead workers. It is our duty to stand by these families. No one says 'not to support'. I would understand and appreciate if a civil society volunteer made this call. But this call comes from the general secretary of the government, which has been ruling this country for 24 years and is directly responsible for occupational safety inspections. The control of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security is in the hands of the government. Safety legislation is in the hands of the government. The addressee of the question of why this facility was not inspected and closed down while workers were dying for years is the government itself.

The fact that the political authority, which must be held accountable, started a donation campaign as if it were a charity organization, portrays these deaths as if they were a natural disaster. It serves to calm society's anger and overlook the real culprits. Trying to look nice by using your political influence over the chambers does not mean taking responsibility. Also; Aid to families who have just buried their children, husbands and fathers cannot be turned into a public demonstration. If the chambers want to provide support, they should do so internally, quietly, without hurting the honor of the families. We owe justice to the families of the 19 workers who lost their lives. "You cannot achieve that justice by giving house arrest to the bosses, 'guesting' the bosses' representatives in prison for a few days, quietly closing the files, or starting a 'donation campaign' instead of being held accountable and doing what is necessary as the government."

"THOSE RESPONSIBLE IN THE WORLD ARE NOT COLLECTING DONATIONS, THEY ARE BEING ACCOUNTABLE"

"In South Korea, 23 workers died in a fire at Aricell's battery factory in Hwaseong in June 2024. In September 2025, the court sentenced the company's CEO, Park Soon-kwan, to 15 years in prison. According to the court, the company had put profit before worker safety. The top manager, the son of the CEO, also received 15 years. South Korea was able to impose this sentence thanks to its law that holds bosses directly responsible for heavy work accidents.

Or in Brazil, in 2019, the mining dam in Brumadinho collapsed, killing 270 people. The Vale company, which operates the mine, agreed to pay approximately 7 billion dollars in compensation with the agreement it signed with the state. The company's coffers paid the price, not the fundraiser. In none of these examples did we see the general secretary of the ruling party responsible for the audit launch an aid campaign. "This is the first time I see it too."

"COMPANYS MUST BE PAID WITHOUT WAITING FOR ANY COURT DECISION"

"What needs to be done is clear: HABAŞ must pay the compensation without waiting for a lawsuit. Material and moral compensation should be paid to the families of the 19 workers who lost their lives and all the injured, without waiting for any court decision. The educational expenses of the children of deceased workers and the livelihood of their families must be guaranteed by the company. The state must do its duty. The public's obligations towards families should not be delegated to donation campaigns, but should be fulfilled directly and completely. Audit records should be disclosed.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Security should share with the public all occupational safety inspections, detected deficiencies and imposed sanctions at HABAŞ Aliağa facilities since 2019. The decision regarding the chairman of the board of directors should be appealed. The investigation must be carried out completely, right up to the highest manager of the business; Past deaths should also be included in the file. A parliamentary investigation should be opened. The Turkish Grand National Assembly should investigate the deaths at HABAŞ and why occupational murders in Turkey could not be prevented."