Who is Binali Yıldırım?
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The candidate for the third chair of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been determined. That figure is the Minister of Transportation, Marine Affairs and Communication, Binali Yıldırım.
Binali Yıldırım was born in Refahiye district of Erzincan province on December 20, 1955.
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He graduated from İstanbul Technical University (İTÜ), Faculty of Shipbuilding and Marine Sciences. He completed his MA at the same faculty.
He served as executive at Ship Industry General Directorate of Turkey, and Camialtı Shipyard between the years of 1978-1993.
He received education as to security of life and property at International Maritime Organization located in Sweden and World Maritime University between the years of 1990-1991.
He worked as assistant and research member at İTÜ, Faculty of Shipbuilding and Marine Sciences.
He served as General Director at İstanbul Fast Ferries Co. Inc. of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality between the years of 1994-2000.
He was granted the “SKAL” award because of his contributions to mass sea transport and tourism.
He took place in the Founders Council of the AKP.
He was elected to board of directors of World Maritime University.
He entered parliament as AKP MP in November 3, 2002 general elections. He became MP from İstanbul at 22nd term, from Erzincan at 23rd term and from İzmir in 2011.
He ran for İzmir Metropolitan Mayorship in local elections in 2014 but lost it.
He worked as minister of transportation in 58th (PM Abdullah Gül), 59th, 60th, and 61st (PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) and 64th (PM Ahmet Davutoğlu) governmental terms.
Pamukova train crash
Despite the public pressure on him to resign because of the Pamukova train crash that occurred during his ministerial term on July 22, 2004, he declared that he wouldn’t resign.
The train named Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoğlu plying accelerated train service between İstanbul and Ankara had gone off the trails due to high speed in Pamukova district of Sakarya. Of 230 passengers, 41 lost their lives, 89 others wounded.
In the expert reports, the cause of the accident was shown as “accelerated train service attempt on old tracks”.
The public prosecution as to the incident dropped on February 7, 2012 due to prescription. (YY/TK)