Daily: Gov’t, watchdog attempted to sink Bank Asya

Bank Asya
Bank Asya


Date posted: January 12, 2014

İSTANBUL
The Turkish government and the country’s banking watchdog were aware of and supported a recent defamation campaign allegedly aimed at sinking the country’s leading participation bank, the Taraf daily reported on Sunday.

The head of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), Mukim Öztekin, personally backed the defamation campaign against Bank Asya while top government figures encouraged an alleged operation involving the media and major public and private companies, Taraf said. According to the daily, Öztekin illegally shared a list of top Bank Asya depositors with senior government officials. Motivated by an initiative led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to target the Hizmet movement, which the bank is affiliated with, the paper said Öztekin and ruling party members forced top state-run banks and some leading private-owned businesses to withdraw their cash from Bank Asya. Erdoğan publicly denounced and branded the Hizmet movement as a “parallel state” after saying he believed that police and prosecutors affiliated with the movement were forced to launch an ongoing corruption probe that encircled the 11-year-old ruling government.

Taraf reported that some big companies, including national flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY), withdrew millions of liras from Bank Asya accounts. The bank, which is under threat of being handed over to the state since it cannot meet the capital adequacy figures, was provided with extra cash by other large companies. The paper puts the amount deposited at the bank as high as TL 1 billion. Taraf said Öztekin believed Bank Asya would declare bankruptcy last Friday due to intense pressure from the government and that Erdoğan was informed the bank would do so. The new deposits, however, helped save the bank.

The daily’s report also claimed that Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan intervened and said he would not approve any move made to hand over the bank to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) in the event that it went bankrupt.

A wave of turbulence hit Turkey’s domestic finance market — in which 11 banks went bankrupt in 2001. The bankruptcies were triggered by the failing of some smaller banks, which later created an avalanche that caused bigger banks to go bankrupt.

Bank Asya has already filed a criminal complaint against those newspapers that allegedly launched the smear campaign. The media reports accused Bank Asya of manipulation in the stock exchange.

Source: Todays Zaman , January 12, 2014

Tags: | | |


Related News

Visually impaired journalist’s letter shows he can barely survive in prison

A letter sent by visually impaired Turkish journalist Cüneyt Arat, who was sent to prison last July due to alleged links to the Gülen movement, shows that he is having a hard time surviving in prison because penal facilities are not set up for a disabled person.

Turkey, The great purge – Four lives upturned by Erdogan’s ‘cleansing.’ Episode 2 – Mehmet

Following the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, Erdogan promised to “cleanse” Turkey of a “virus” that has plagued its state institutions. That cleansing has been primarily directed at two organisations: the PKK and the Gulen movement. But the crackdown on both organisations began long before the July coup attempt.

Doctors In Turkey discouraged from writing up reports on abuse, torture

There appears to be a systematic and deliberate campaign by the government of Turkey to dissuade doctors from writing up reports that prove abuse and torture cases detainees and prisoners went through or that verify serious health risks for jailed suspects.

Communists in Cold War, reactionaries in Feb. 28 coup and Gülenists in Erdoğan era

It is useful to make a point here: Is it not true that some civil servants and officers, including prosecutors, judges, police officers, district governors and governors, are members of the Gülen movement? Of course it’s true. But is that a crime? No, it is not. People cannot be blamed for their beliefs, thoughts, identities or colors. They cannot be discriminated against because of such characteristics.

Erdoğan’s dream: Seizing Gülen’s network

Once Erdogan declares the Gülen movement as national security threat, he will try to confiscate all schools, dormitories, foundations, institutions and universities associated with the Gülen movement and hand them over to his supporters to run a giant institution of networks to create “religious generations.”

Was prime minister able to convince the EU?

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan makes all of his political reinforcement in the judicial system. He uses all his political power, charisma and charm to block the corruption probes. For this reason, instead of convincing the EU, he tries to secure a temporary peace so that he can finish his job.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Amir Hussain on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement

Erdogan’s Hate Speech against the Gulen Movement

TUSKON’s Meral tells Turkish firms in Germany to open to world

Fethullah Gulen: Muslims, we have to critically review our understanding of Islam

Ikbal Gürpınar Hospital is connecting Sudanese people to life

Turkish opposition: Enquiry against Gülen politically motivated

Turkey’s targeted teachers find refuge in Vietnam

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News