Erdoğan Confirms Phone Recordings

During a speech addressed at local media representatives in Ankara, PM Erdoğan stood behind the content of an alleged conversation with former Justice Minister leaked recently, indirectly confirming the alleged recordings. 

The aforementioned phone conversation took between PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and former Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin concerning a competitive bidding including business person Metin Kalkavan. 

“50 journalist have been detained in the UK for tapping phones and some media outlets have been convicted. A publisher has also decided to shut down a newspaper. However, nobody talk about this. Nobody says that journalists have been detained or arrested in the case. Nobody says that there is no press freedom in the UK,” he said.   

“They have tapped encrypted conversations”

“You can never tap a prime minister, president or ministers anywhere in the world. The prosecutors gave listed to the top secret conversations of statesmen without a consent. 

“Those who have released these delivered recordings have also violated regulations as well as the constitution. 

“They have tapped encrypted conversations. And in some situations, they have done editing and dubbing whenever they needed.” 

“It is normal to send orders to minister”

Erdoğan also confirmed the phone conversation with former Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin on the Aydın Doğan case. 

“They must be convicted,” he allegedly said on the phone. 

“Free Market Council (SPK) gave me important information, it is normal to send orders to my minister.”

MİLGEM bidding

MİLGEM bidding, a competitive based bidding which was canceled even though Koç Holding has been declared as the winner. 

Erdoğan said the following on Metin Kalkavan:

“There are numerous biddings. One bidder might have been eliminated and then called me about it. You should sue then. That’s what I am saying. The state budget gains millions of dollars this way. Releasing this conversations show how they have no character.” (EKN/BM)