TUSKON says 2 businessmen threatened members with ‘blacklisting’


Date posted: March 4, 2014

İSTANBUL

Two Turkish businessmen from the Central Anatolian city of Konya have threatened a business confederation by telling it to “cut ties” with Turkey’s largest volunteer-based grassroots movement, the Hizmet movement, or be placed on a government blacklist of entrepreneurs affiliated with the movement, the head of the business confederation has said.

Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) Chairman Rızanur Meral told the CNN Türk television station on Monday evening that members of the confederation had received threats from pro-government businesspeople.

Due to allegations that the Hizmet movement is working to undermine his political power, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has openly threatened business groups affiliated with the Hizmet movement with a “total crackdown” and described them as “traitors.” Erdoğan has failed to provide evidence to prove his claim so far, while the Hizmet movement has dismissed all such claims fabricated by pro-government media as “baseless.” However, Erdoğan’s speeches have not directly named prominent Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who is the inspiration behind the Hizmet movement.

“Two businessmen that we know from Konya came to TUSKON members and warned them to distance themselves from Hizmet, or else they would be put on a government list of companies affiliated with the group. … Our members said this is not a problem, and the government can go ahead with blacklisting them,” Meral told CNN Türk.

Referring to an illegally recorded phone conversation in which TUSKON Secretary-General Mustafa Günay consults Gülen about a tender for a refinery in Uganda, saying a Turkish company — Koç Holding, if possible — should enter it, Meral said, “This is normal conduct.”

After being asked whether TUSKON has been affected by Erdoğan’s threats, Meral asserted, “We fear none but God.”

Over the weekend Meral invited Erdoğan, who had called on the Hizmet movement to form a political party, to “join in trade and make his money in equal competition with other market players.”

Source: Todays Zaman , March 4, 2014


Related News

Is this corruption scandal backed by the US?

The government has developed a two-stage strategy in order to manage this scandal. The first stage was to blame foreign powers. The second stage was to declare the Gülen community as the representative of these foreign powers in the country and thereby put the blame on the Gülen community.

Journalist Dumanlı says slanders against Hizmet reminiscent of Feb. 28 era

Zaman daily Editor-in-Chief Dumanlı has described slanderous remarks used by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and some members of the Justice and Development Party government against the Hizmet movement as highly reminiscent of insults directed at the country’s conservative-minded citizens during the Feb. 28, 1997 “postmodern coup” period.

11th Int’l Turkish Olympiads kick off in İstanbul

The 11th International Turkish Olympiads, which is a festival celebrating the Turkish language and brings together 2,000 students from 140 countries this year, began in İstanbul on Wednesday. The event began with a news conference held in Atatürk Olympic Stadium attended by the Turkish deputy parliamentary speaker and International Turkish Language Olympiads organizing committee chairman, […]

German state minister: Persecuted Turks can apply for asylum in Germany

“Germany is an outward-looking country and is open to all those who are politically persecuted as a matter of principle,” Roth said. “They can apply for asylum in Germany. That applies not just to journalists.” Roth also spoke out against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s crackdown against opposition lawmakers and critical journalists and academics.

Swoboda accuses Erdoğan of using Hizmet movement as a pretext

Socialist leader Hannes Swoboda asked “You were still supporting the Hizmet movement a year ago. Now you use the movement as an excuse for halting reforms. Why do you see them as a danger to Turkey now?”
Sources said Swoboda made it very clear that the EU was very concerned about the state of the rule of law in Turkey. “We are very concerned about the rule of law and the separation of powers, especially the independence of the judiciary,” he stressed.

Thousands pay final respects to Gülen’s brother in Erzurum

Seyfullah Gülen, who died at the age of 72 on Friday and was the brother of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, was laid to rest in a funeral attended by thousands of people in the eastern province of Erzurum on Sunday.

Latest News

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Flynn stopped military plan against ISIS that Turkey opposed – after being paid as its agent

Religions Come Together To Celebrate Unity Amid Tragedy

The Future of Islamic Civilization in A Globalizing World

AFSV Statement on Media and Business Crackdown

Turkish President Gül: Turkish schools abroad largest non-state project

Gülen: I hope they avoid the adventures of the Union and Progress Party

US calls decision by Turkey to seize Zaman newspaper ’troubling’

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News