Turkey has been talking about the mafia-politics-trade relations with the revelations of Sedat Peker, who has been on trial for the alleged leadership of an organized crime organization. Erol Pet (Eşrefoğlu), known as the “instigator of the murder of Nesim Malki” in the 90s and known for his closeness to the criminal organization leader Alaattin Çakıcı, made his name known with his “crash” activities in the iron and steel industry during the AKP rule.
It has been revealed that SIDEMİR, known to be under the management of Pet, who was arrested within the scope of the “Iron Fist” investigation, paid half a salary on the 3rd of August and on the 21st of September to the workers who could not receive their salaries for about 8 months.
IT HAS BEEN CUSTOMIZED, MADE TO DOMESTIC, WORKERS ARE VICTIMS
The factory, which could not be operated efficiently after privatization, passed to the family of Pets in 2009, and the factory building and facility were leased to SİDER Demir Çelik in 2019. Pets echoed in SİDER’s board of directors. While the factory has been the subject of litigation between the two companies many times, it remains on the agenda with the workers not paying their salaries, SSI premiums, taxes, electricity and natural gas consumption costs. Hundreds of aggrieved workers tried to announce their progress for a long time and organized protests in the city center. A worker talked about the grievances he and his colleagues experienced.
WORKER: WE JUST WANT TO GET OUR RIGHTS
He talked about the suffering he experienced with his colleagues. The worker said, “How will people make a living and pay their rent in a factory that hasn’t worked for 7 months?” posed the question. Stating that they want the state to find a solution to this situation, the worker said, “We only want to get our rights when we work.” “We want to know that we will be paid like the day everyone gets paid when they work,” said the worker, saying:
“We want to go home and come to work with the comfort of this. If we do not have an extra income, if we do not do additional work, no worker can think ‘I will spend, I will meet the needs of my house’.”
THE COURT OF COURT OVERRUED, THE TRIAL WILL BE HELD
The bankruptcy of Sivas Demir Çelik was also requested upon the execution proceeding with a verdict by a creditor company, and Sivas 3rd Civil Court of First Instance decided in this direction in 2020. The Court of Appeal found no illegality in the bankruptcy decision. Thereupon, the file was appealed by SIDEMIR and sent to the Supreme Court. The 6th Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals; Sivas 2nd Enforcement Law Court ruled that the decision be overturned, citing the cancellation of the enforcement proceeding with a verdict, which is the basis of bankruptcy. Sivas 3rd Civil Court of First Instance will hold a hearing on 26 September 2022 on whether or not the annulment decision will be complied with.
26 OF 38 EVENTS WERE SIDEMIR
Within the scope of the “Iron Fist” investigation, the indictment of 17 defendants, including Pet, contained striking information about SIDEMİR. SIDEMIR was one of the 3 companies involved in committing fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations. It was noteworthy that 26 of the fraudulent transactions described as 38 incidents belonged to SIDEMİR. It was stated that the money received for production was transferred to the bank accounts of ERE Demir Çelik Limited Şirketi and Eşrefoğlu Demir Çelik Taşımacılık Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş, which are described as “cash”, thus preventing the collection of public receivables. It was underlined that the total tax debt of the factory, including the interest, reached 1 billion 110 million 166 thousand 249 liras.
CHP’S KARASU: THE POWER DOESN’T CARE
Sivas Deputy Ulaş Karasu evaluated what had happened in the factory for years to the Republic. Pointing out that the factory has been left unclaimed for 18 years, Karasu said, “Now, the workers who built this factory with their hands and efforts have been left alone. They have only been able to receive 1.5 months’ salaries in the intervening 8 months. The government does not care how they pay their rents and bills.”
“POWER HAS ENTERED A GREAT CALCULATING”
Karasu said that his party has drawn attention to the emphasis that has been on here since 2015 and said, “While the government entered into a big showdown and changed hands with a capital size measured in billion liras, 750 workers were thrown into an uncertain future.” CHP deputy, “The occurrence of 26 of 38 fraudulent transactions in the Iron Fist indictment in Sivas Demir Çelik is the biggest indicator of what purpose this place was used for.”
“LOOK AT THE GAME”
Karasu concluded his words by saying, “Despite all that has happened, the government wants us to ignore all the grievances experienced by the workers with the game of ‘look at the acrobat’. We will not fall for this trick. We will hold the account of the experiences of the workers who created Sivas Demir Çelik.”